An Emerald Sword
by StarLion
Summary: Fifth story in the Hylian Heroes series. Knuckles is called on by a Hylian youth in green to help out the land of Skyloft, starting him on his way to becoming the first ever Hero of Hyrule, an epic adventure, and the tale of how the Master Emerald was involved in the forging of the legendary Master Sword.
1. The Departure

**A/N: **Welcome, one and all, to the fifth story in the Hylian Heroes series, following the epic adventure of Knuckles as he goes through his own story in Skyward Sword - with the usual intrigue I bring to all my stories. Those of you who have read the previous four stories will have picked up a few hints here and there about some of the things that happen during this story, but don't worry if you can't remember - they'll show up in due time.

As usual (You really think anyone would forget) I don't own either Sonic or Zelda, the places, stories, characters... do I really need to go on? No? Thank the gods for that, otherwise I'd be here for ages.

In the initial part of this chapter you'll notice that yes, there is indeed a reference to several Zelda games I haven't (yet) announced a story or Hero for. As it stands, I plan to complete this story and the following one about Sonic's adventure in Wind Waker, and leave it at that. I _may_ do some of the other games, but at the time I write (type, whatever) this, they haven't been planned.

That doesn't mean however that if that brilliant inspiration strikes you, you can't go and pick up some other Sonic character and have Link send them on their merry way there, and even include tie-ins to the stories I've written already - but if you do write these stories, please at least let me know so I'm aware of anything you add that affects these stories.

And now, since I've talked long enough - get reading and enjoy!

* * *

_Excerpt from Heroes of Hyrule, first printing_

_Authored by official Royal Historian Shad, with notable thanks to many others who contributed research and great detail._

There are many tales that human-kind has passed down through the ages from generation to generation. Taken together, they speak of battle and adventure, of power and battles for and against it. Notably among them are those of the Heroes, those chosen by the Gods and Goddesses of Hyrule to play significant parts.

Traditionally these Heroes have been characterised by two aspects that through the ages have been seen time and again. All bear some variation of the same garb, composed of green tunic and cap, and sturdy, hard-wearing boots. At times they have been the symbols of others – in the time of the Hero Silver, it was the garb of the forest folk, the Kokiri, and in times yet further back it was the mark of a mighty Knight.

The secondary common aspect shown in all Heroes are their origins. Until the most recent of times, their backgrounds and histories were all but completely concealed to us. However with recent contact with the Heroes of legend, these veils have been pulled back, and it has been discovered that they are not of Hyrule, nor even of the lands far distant of our own.

Neither still are they of any local peoples, holding no prior affiliation with Zora or Goron, Kokiri or even the feared Demons. Perhaps this is so they have no preconceived notions of our realm, or perhaps they are simply better suited to the trials they must endure in order to restore lasting peace to our fair realm – again, even beyond Hyrule.

Within this volume the tales of these Heroic visitors to our land are set out, told by those Heroes themselves. From Knuckles, Knight of Skyloft and first Hero, to the better known Tails, the Twilight Fox who may take on the form of a bestial wolf at will. Heroes who have travelled the world beyond Hyrule as Silver, the Hero of Time did when he set forth from Hyrule, his labours here completed, and arrived in the imperilled land of Termina. Tales have even been brought forth of Heroes that never set foot in Hyrule, from the far-off lands of Holodrum and Labrynna.

From every tale, from every land, of every Hero, there are lessons to be learned. Their selflessness, while sometimes absent in the tale of the impious young Hero Manic, has become a shining example for all, as has their dedication to their tasks, and even their stoic acceptance of their fated roles – once they first accepted it, at least.

But first we turn to a land long lost to history, a land not in fact of the land, but of the sky. Skyloft, long ago the last place where humans were to be found after a great war ravaged the land beneath, pushed back only by Her Grace, the great Goddess Hylia herself. And of the Hero who came to them and forged the now legendary Master Sword that many successors to his title have also taken up, the weapon that evil may never touch for its banishing power.

* * *

Telma's bar had been a busy place of late. It had been some time now since Tails had departed, his time as Hero done, and Hyrule had been enjoying a peaceful time. Little surprise then that when six strange people, none of them human and all of them bearing the signature green quickly recognised as the Hero's clothes, word had spread like wildfire. All but one of them had at some time played a part in Hyrule's history as a Hero, and all had a tale to tell.

It had become a common theme lately for people from about the town, even from Kakariko and Faron, to gather around the bar's fireplace to listen to one of them share a part of their tales, hearing it exactly as it had happened to them.

Shad had got to them first, before word had spread. They'd arrived at a perfect time to help him complete a royal directive to compile the stories of the Heroes, and each of them had obliged by correcting or telling their stories. Four long, arduous adventures had been taken, told and re-told so far. Tails, Manic and Silver's two adventures had all been shared, and as yet no further Heroes had emerged that they knew of, leaving only two waiting to be told – those of Knuckles and Sonic.

Knuckles knew it wasn't going to be long before someone asked him to tell his story. He'd at least prepared for it by ensuring that Tails' friends here at the bar, along with their own friends, would get to hear it first, before it was shared with the more general gatherings – besides, Silver was still only part-way through sharing his first adventure with the regular patrons, and Manic had been noticed corrupting Hyrule's youth with his own story, complete with the things they really shouldn't hear about, like his habitual stealing and other such habits.

Tails, as was his habit lately, curled up in front of the fire as the wolf Knuckles had seen before. He and Knuckles were the only ones up this early, though it was hard to say if Tails was up – he was often quite content to sleep in front of the fire too. Knuckles smiled briefly, reaching over to rub between Tails' ears and got a warning growl, followed by a playful nip.

"Be nice," Knuckles told him gently. Tails flicked an ear, yawned, then adjusted so he could watch Knuckles. "Don't you trust me?" he asked the wolf, who gave him a flat look. "Yeah, that's what I thought," he chuckled.

Tails nudged his forehead with one paw, shimmering back to his usual self, stretching again, then taking a chair nearby.

"You're up early," he said. "I remember someone who fell out of bed and told me he took time to get up."

"Actually I'm up late," Knuckles corrected. "Someone's going to ask me to start telling my story before long, and I've been thinking back over it. A lot happened to me..."

"Like your creating Dark?"

Knuckles winced. "I wish you'd stop bringing him up. If I hadn't created him, I'd have ended up as bad as Silver. You just can't talk to him about time, he gets the past and future so muddled up you've got no idea when he's taking about."

"_I_ understand him," Tails replied, then added, "Well, mostly anyway."

"You're an engineer, you're expected to," Knuckles dismissed the point. "Kinda like Fi actually. I sorta... expected her to know. And the strange thing was, she actually did know. She'd tell me about some monster I was fighting and tell me something so unexpectedly weird that I'd stop and think. Which is a kinda bad idea in the middle of a fight, I can tell you."

"Sounds like a good companion to me," Tails laughed. "What sort of things did she tell you?"

"Lets just say Bokoblins have some... unusual interests," Knuckles said evasively. "She once remarked on some that I only saw because of Time stones that revealed the ancient past. She called them Technoblins, and remarked that they wore the latest in Bokoblin fashion. I don't even want to know why she knew that."

Tails gave him a sidelong look. "You're pulling my leg. She seriously said that?"

"That and more," he nodded. "Once everyone else gets up, I guess I'd better start telling you so you can find out the weird and wonderful things she used to say."

* * *

Shad, now surrounded by crates that contained the completed stories of Tails, Silver and Manic, was already starting to write before everyone had actually gathered. Extra tables had been gathered nearby to make room for Shad, his work, Auru and Rusl on one, then on the next, Tails, Silver, Manic, Scourge and Sonic all gathered, with Knuckles in pride of place knowing what came next.

"Hey!" Scourge exclaimed while Telma, with the help of Link himself, fetched them all drinks.

"What now?" Silver sighed.

"He stole my wallet!"

"Did not!" Manic retorted, trying to look innocent. Somehow he didn't quite manage to pull it off.

"You little thief, I'll get you yet!" Scourge threatened, lunging for him. Manic evaded him easily, quickly drawing his sword to bring out the three copies of himself the Four Sword could create.

"Children, please!" Rusl told them wearily. "Can't you keep your hands to yourself for just a few minutes, Manic?"

Manic made some show of thinking, then brightly answered, "Nope! Can you?"

"Just give it back and sit back down already."

"He don't got it," the Red Manic grinned. "Only one of us does."

"Oh, for..." Silver muttered. His eyes went distant for a moment, then the stolen wallet was retrieved from under Blue Manic's cap.

"Dude, not cool!" he protested. "You're taking away our fun!"

"And you're stopping us hearing the next story," Auru told them quietly. "Did you want your drinks or not?"

Knuckles shared a look with Tails that spoke volumes, the two concealing their own amusement at the scene. Telma helped with that as she and Link set out the drinks, then they too took their seats.

"I thought you wanted to wait," Link said to Knuckles.

"I was going to, but I figure I might as well get it out of the way. Let them know how high I set the bar for them, and reveal a bit more about Ghirahim. I don't suppose you'd care to tell us what happened to him after Silver destroyed that moon in Termina?"

"I shattered him again," Link shrugged. "Scattered the pieces a bit further away this time. I was going to destroy him entirely, but Hylia talked me out of it. Same way she talked me into letting Manic keep the Fire and Ice rods. Don't worry, you shouldn't have to go play with him again."

"I'll compose a prayer of thanks at once," Knuckles sighed with relief. "The amount of times he got in the way... Anyway, I suppose I better get started before Manic steals something again."

"Don't tempt me," Manic grinned.

* * *

As I told you all before, I know exactly why Link picked me, and I really did agree to do what he needed – but as I also said, I didn't know Link was... well, Link at the time.

Everyone knows – well, those who are from the same place as me, anyway – that I spend a lot of time on Angel Island looking after the Master Emerald. Someone's gotta do it, and somehow I landed the job. The Emerald itself keeps the island up in the sky, and that keeps me up above most kinds of weather, so its usually quiet and I don't have much to do. Why else do you think I make a pest of myself so often? It gets damn boring up there with no one to talk to except the Master Emerald, and it doesn't exactly talk back.

Normally, visitors are pretty rare. There's enough space for someone like Tails to land a plane, and some like Silver can just stop by whenever they want without the need, but most people know there's not really anything of interest up there. It adds to the boredom, but has the advantage that I _know_ when someone is on my island, even without looking.

So it was with some surprise that in the slight light of a full moon I had the sense that someone was present, and it didn't feel like anyone I knew. A cursory glance about didn't show anyone, but even with a full moon there isn't much light at night, so I wasn't too surprised by this. Anyone here would have to come to me eventually, so I just waited.

The island was, as it usually is, up above the clouds, leaving the air and sky completely clear. Despite this, footsteps accompanied an unnatural fog eddying in out of nothingness, a white fog that seemed almost to reflect the moon's light. The fog kept pace with the footsteps I heard, forming into a human shape, then coming together to the green clothed figure we all know and love – or hate. It's a matter or perspective.

The blonde haired youth had a sword strapped to his back and a large shield was just visible over his shoulders, but he didn't hold himself as if he was here to fight. He walked out of the last of the mist fading behind him, starting up the steps toward me looking perfectly calm, as if this was just a casual stroll.

Without saying a word, he paused not far ahead of me, first looking at me, then past to the Master Emerald. After a moment he took a seat on the low remains of the shrine, leaning back against part of a pillar.

"Most people say something," he said eventually. "I'd have thought you of all people would say something."

"What do you expect me to say? It's the middle of the night, and you're on my island. You're not a threat – not yet, anyway – so you're no concern of mine."

"Don't you even know why I'm here?"

"I'm sure you'll tell me if you want me to know," I shrugged. "I'm not particularly curious."

The youth sighed. "I'm going to have some words with the others about this. They told me it'd be easier than this. Could at least come along to help, but apparently the best way for me to learn to do my job is to do it on my own."

"Works for me," I said. His expression suggested he was hoping I'd have more to say.

"I give up. I don't have all night-" he stopped. "Well, alright actually I think I do have all night if I need it, but I don't want to look like I can't handle things. Anyway, that's not why I'm here. I need your help, Knuckles."

That got my attention. I'd never seen him before, but he knew me. I tried not to show it, instead glancing back to the Master Emerald, then back to him.

"I'm already helping. I'm keeping this place safe."

"You're about as helpful as a rock, do you know that?" he said acidly. "Just hear me out, alright? I've got a place, and entire realm, that's in a bit of a state and needs someone to do the right things in the right places to get it sorted out. A Hero, I suppose you could say. Only there aren't any of the locals that are suited to the tasks that need to be done, and I'm running out of time. I was told that you know how to harness the energy of the Master Emerald-"

"Go away," I interrupted. "That energy isn't for just anyone."

"Oh, will you just listen! I don't want that energy, I don't even want this damn job, but I've got it!" He stopped, took several deep breaths and calmed himself. "Sorry. It's just this is really getting to me. Lack of experience."

"What do you want then?"

"I'm trying to tell you! You can use the energy of the Master Emerald to affect this great chunk of rock, and I know you're here to protect it. I've got a place that's a bit like this island but bigger and with more people on it. I can ensure they protect this place for you and guarantee they won't try to take advantage of it, that way you're freed up to help me out."

"Sorry. I don't trade away my duties. This place is my responsibility, and it's going to stay that way."

"I'm not asking you to just drop it and leave it behind, Knuckles," he tried to reason with me. "If I'm right, and I'm hoping I am, you'll end up going back to this place of mine, Skyloft it's called, fairly often, so you'll be able to check up on it regularly. Just... try and help me out, will you?"

Then I asked the question that every Hero has asked, and I think I might be the only one who's ever got a straight answer for.

"Why me?"

"Because you're the only one suited to the job Knuckles, and believe me I've looked. I've gone and looked at hundreds of possibilities, gone to so many places, but you're the only one suited to it. If you won't do it, I'll have to go to people who are far worse suited than you."

"You'll make sure this place is protected?" I asked. The youth nodded. I gave it some consideration, then gave in. "All right. We'll try it, and if I have a problem with it, I'll take it up with you. Now where's this place of yours? Skyloft, wasn't it?"

"It's in Hyrule. I was told the Master Emerald knows the way. It's part of-" he broke off again and frowned. "You know, I don't think you have a word for it in your language actually. It's a bit complicated. Anyway, I'll have to leave you to it – I'll turn up again if I have to, but I got told I'm not supposed to get involved once you've started."

"As long as this place stays safe," I shrugged. "The people know I'm coming?"

The youth looked at me in consternation, then said, "Oh damn. I probably should have done that in advance. I'll see to that now," he told me, then turned back into mist and vanished again, the sense of his presence going with him.

"I don't think I even want to know," I muttered to myself, then over my shoulder, "Off to Skyloft in Hyrule so I can find out what's so special it needs my attention."

The Master Emerald simply pulsed in response as it always does, Angel Island tilting slightly in the air. The clouds passed at a different speed and in a different direction, but the air on the island always remains still thanks to the Master Emerald, so I largely ignored it and just dozed, waiting for my arrival.


	2. The Arrival

"That doesn't sound like you," Silver said to Link, looking curious. "Even during Manic's time you weren't like that."

"Yeah, I know," Link admitted. "That was my first solo run ever. Before then, Fate had created me to help easer Her understandably heavy burden, and She ran the show. Far better than I ever could, that's for sure. Anyway, after a while helping Her out, She decided I was ready and threw me in at the deep end. All I was told was which deities to pester if I needed a hand and a vague idea of what needed doing. She expected me to pick up the rest as I went along, so naturally I was inexperienced and rather bad at handling it."

"You didn't do that badly," Knuckles defended him. "But I imagine you'd do it differently now?"

"Oh, of course. There are so many things I should have done but didn't, or things that I handled terribly before. You remember I mentioned Koholint island, with the Wind Fish? That was something I didn't do so well at. That was a fair time after Knuckles had finished up. Someday I'll find the right Hero to fix my mistakes there though."

"Take your pick," Scourge said. "Plenty of green to pick from."

"I can't do that – one of the few rules Fate informed me of. One time only. Silver got around that because his second time happened in Termina instead of Hyrule, but that aside... one time only, never more. And don't worry my bitter green friend – you're far from being the right one for the job."

"Just as well, because if you tried to conscript me I'd refuse to cooperate."

Link looked at him speculatively, then said, "You've not met my mother, have you? Fate is very determined, and if She wants you to do something, you'll do it sooner or later. She tends to make you pay for irritating Her too as well, as I recall," he added thoughtfully. "It's easier to cooperate with Her. And quieter on my ears too, when it comes to my duties. I got yelled at quite a lot in the early days, but in a way, it was Her own fault. Anyway – tell the story, Knuckles. I'll correct you if you make a mistake."

"You're too kind," Knuckles replied flatly.

* * *

It had been late at night when I set Angel Island on its course for Skyloft, and I didn't expect to see it for some time yet. Expectation, as others also found out the hard way, doesn't always match up to reality, even when you're dealing with an inexperienced God of Heroes, and by mid-morning another floating island was visible in the distance.

In this region the cloud cover appeared much thicker than usual, like a snowy white blanket laid over the lands beneath with only a handful of gaps showing all manner of landscapes underneath. Vast primeval forests, a massive lake I first mistook for an ocean until I realized how high up I was, a similarly large desert, even an active volcano.

Skyloft was not the only island in the skies either, I noticed. Far smaller ones floated without any apparent logical reason – I know, magic and all that, don't have a go at me – many with residences on, one with a giant pumpkin on, apparently used as a house of some kind.

The Master Emerald steered my island easily clear of these smaller ones without any incident beyond a few people coming out to watch and stare at the great rock floating past headed for the main island itself.

My destination appeared to be a relatively ordinary place, at least if you discounted that it was a flying island. As I later discovered it has springlike weather all year round, a spring of water that never runs out and supplies all the water, even a river that ends in a waterfall leading to the lands below. Skyloftians never have to worry about crops simply because the weather cooperates all-year round, making the fair-sized town on it completely self-sufficient – and therefore, completely unaware of what was going on below.

The edges of the island were not fenced or walled off at all, much like Angel Island. Skyloft's residents didn't bother because much of their lives centres around the skies and are fully aware of the risks, even employing Rescue Knights, knights who graduated from the Knight Academy and patrol the skies to retrieve those who fall off. Several such knights, not that I knew them at the time, diverted from their course to act as a rather superfluous escort, complete with their silly headgear – it's useful at night, but otherwise it just looked ridiculous.

Link, true to his parting words, had seen to it that the residents knew I was coming, approaching the island from what they considered to be the east. I don't carry a personal compass in my head unlike Silver, but it's hard for me to lose my sense of direction once I've got it. Moving Angel Island is a sure way though.

Decked out an a variety of rather garish and often clashing coloured clothes, the people of Skyloft looked on as another floating island approached their own. It was hard to say what they thought – for one thing there was a fair distance between us still, for another they looked more like they'd just turned up to watch.

Without needing me to guide it, the Master Emerald brought Angel Island up alongside Skyloft, making use of the remains of the bridge that's connected to so many places in its time to provide an easy way off without having to nudge the entire island.

Easily apparent even before I'd started down the steps to meet them was the fact that the strange youth was not among them. There were some few who had clothing similar, but none close enough to even consider that they were him. Two among them stepped forward to meet me, a young woman who looked about the same age as the youth, and an older man who's hair gave him a rather owlish appearance.

The crowd had been set to follow, but at a curt word from him stopped and waited, watching as they crossed over to my island first, meeting me at the foot of the steps.

"You would be Knuckles," the elderly man began, inclining his head slightly. "Or at least so I assume? We had been expecting another human."

"I guess the messenger forgot to tell you that. Did he remember to tell you about that?" I asked, jerking one thumb toward the Master Emerald.

"He said only that it would require protection in order to satisfy your need to be away from it," he answered. "That can and will be arranged, Knuckles. And now, since we seem to have neglected the pleasantries... I am Gaepora, Headmaster of the Knight Academy... and the closest thing the people of Skyloft have to a leader."

"You don't actually have one?"

"We've never found the need," the woman replied. "Oh, I almost forgot! My name's Zelda, and it's my job to make you at home here. And probably reassure everyone you're not a monster. You aren't, are you?"

I thought for a moment, then answered, "I've been called a lot of things, but I don't think I've ever been called a monster before. I'm an Echidna – in case you wanted to know."

"It would have cropped up by the time we reached the Academy, if nothing else," Gaepora said. "Your place there has been handled, incidentally."

I gave him a flat look and just said, "My place?"

"We were told you wanted one. Was that not the case?"

"Just who was it who did the telling, Gaepora?"

"He looked like a Knight," Zelda said. "Had the green tunic and everything. I don't think I've ever seen him around before now."

"Blonde hair? A bit scatterbrained?" I asked.

"That sounds like him, why?"

"He showed up on my island to get me on my way here. He didn't make any mention about any Knight Academy, he just said I was going to be needed here. I don't need to be a knight for that."

Gaepora looked nonplussed momentarily, then a voice said, "Oh, damn. I've done it again, haven't I?"

We'd missed the forming of the mist this time, but the youth again stood nearby – facing away. After a few moments he turned and sighed. "Naturally. I still haven't got the hang of doing this. Not as if I'd need it normally but-"

Gaepora cleared his throat meaningfully.

"What? Oh, yes, that's right. I got you the place there because you'll need it. Unless you can handle a sword already. I didn't really get a chance to find out."

"What do I need a sword for?" I demanded, holding up my fists. "I've got these. They've never failed me yet."

"Yes, but have you ever actually fought someone who has a sword?" he replied. "Trust me, you need one."

"In any case, the arrangements have already been made for you," Gaepora added. "Pipit has agreed to teach you the sword, and when the time comes Karane will assist you with the Loftwings. As Pipit recently graduated, his room at the academy is free for you."

"You see? I made all the arrangements-" the youth started but was interrupted, this time by Zelda.

"Excuse me? You asked _me_ to make the arrangements!"

"Same difference," he dismissed it. "If I hadn't come by they wouldn't have been made."

"And if I hadn't reminded you, you wouldn't have come," I added.

He stared back at me, sighed and threw up his arms.

"Why now, Mother? Couldn't you have given me a better time?"

"Oh stop feeling so sorry for yourself," a new voice told him crisply. "You've got a job to do Link – grow up, stop whining and do it."

The newly identified Link gave up, his only response before disappearing, "Yes, Mother."


	3. Back to School

Pipit was, as I'd been told, a recently graduated knight. The green I'd seen on Link was identical on Pipit, except he bore yellow instead, something of a tradition at the Knight Academy. The colours changed every year, unless no one graduated – in which case they waited. Link had green because this years colour was green, and Pipit had gone through just before it had changed.

He'd been persuaded not just to let me have the room at the Academy and to teach me to handle a sword, but also to act as the interim guard of the Master Emerald until other arrangements were made. Several spare Rescue Knights had already joined in a patrol around and above it, just in case, but technically there wasn't any arrangement yet.

I kinda imagine I was a _very_ trying student for poor Pipit. I still maintained that I had no need for a sword, I'd always been able to fall back on a few, well placed, powerful blows to handle anything I needed, and that I believed that wasn't likely to change all that soon.

"And what are you going to do if you come up against another swordsman?" he had demanded in a flare of temper. "Try and disarm them while they cut you up into Echidna steak? You can't punch your way out of everything, Knuckles!"

"I can damn well try!" I'd retorted – my usual hot-headed self, and with the inevitable response that we ended up fighting. Naturally, it was a fight that made his case only too clear – he was a skilled swordsman, only giving as much as he needed to ensure he didn't actually hurt me. And me? I didn't land a single blow on him, no matter how hard I tried.

I had to concede he had a fair enough point, but that didn't mean I gave up on my position. I cheated outrageously in the beginning – I used what I'd learned up until then to manoeuvre him into a position I could fall back on my usual tactics, which he'd always take me to task for. It was only Zelda's presence keeping an eye on us that stopped us from ever actually doing any serious harm, but there _were_ a few... accidents. And they were usually my fault.

After the first few days I can only assume Link had made arrangements because several other Knights, each in a riot of conflicting tunics, took up vigil over the Master Emerald, and Pipit took my training to the academy itself, where I could beat up training dummies all I wanted without endangering him all the time. I went through quite a few of those just trying to vent to the point I wasn't going to turn on him.

I'll give him credit though. I may have been trial a for him, but his blunt, sometimes harsh, no-nonsense approach to teaching the sword did wonders. By the end of the third week there I could hold my own against him without the need to resort to my fists.

Anyone else would have grown impatient with this delay before whatever I had to do, but sitting up guarding that giant gemstone for ages on end gave me plenty of patience, and the mystery voice – now known to be Fate, of course – was evidently ensuring Link stayed on task. While I had my doubts about him personally, I trusted him to do his job.

Naturally, since even Pipit couldn't put up with me for whole days, this left me with time to spare. I explored Skyloft, helped out shifting things around – particularly for Fledge, another Knight apprentice who lacked physical strength yet somehow always seemed to be lumped with heavy lifting. Rather disturbingly – at least to me – I often got the impression he looked up to me, despite the fact that I wasn't even another human being.

I also ran into three other Knight apprentices that were not so friendly – Groose and his two lackeys, Cawlin and Stritch. Like any school, there were bullies, and these three were Skyloft's. Groose was a tall boy who had a tendency to obsess over his hair, absolutely hating anything to mess it up. He was proud, stubborn and resented me not just because I had Pipit teaching me the sword instead of one of the Instructors, but also because I quickly outstripped him. The fact that I wasn't human only made him worse.

Cawlin was smart, perhaps more so than Groose himself. He never really showed much emotion, but he was quick to suggest exploiting an opportunity – especially if it suited him. Groose often treated him as a source of advice, or for second opinions – though Cawlin wasn't afraid to suggest things he knew Groose wouldn't like to hear, I often noticed.

Then there was Stritch – the quiet one and the follower. I suspect the only real reason he was with them was because he knew if he wasn't, he'd be picked on himself. He said little, didn't really do much and just went along with what the others did.

Before I'd come along, the trio had bullied Fledge mercilessly, and Fledge, too afraid to do otherwise, never said anything about it. After I walked in on them about to bully him again and stood up for Fledge, their attentions had been focused more on me than Fledge, to his relief.

I largely ignored them though – being called a monster wasn't unexpected, though it was a test of my patience whenever they started spouting nonsense about eating humans, and I very quickly grew tired of hearing them accuse me of just about everything that happened on Skyloft. They never got physical though – not after the first time.

In one of the earlier weeks there, I still regularly checked up on the Master Emerald, particularly at night. Not that I didn't trust the locals yet, but it just didn't feel right not keeping an eye on it. On one of my late-night visits I found that somehow, Groose and Cawlin had managed to sneak past the guards on to Angel Island without being noticed, and were up at the Master Emerald.

I know that island very well. I know where to go without being noticed myself by someone else there, so I knew they didn't notice me come up to join them, leaning on a pillar nearby while they considered the Emerald.

"Could be heavy," Cawlin said. "Tip it over and roll it."

"And let it fall off? You must be kidding," Groose told him. "Don't even see what he needs it for. It's just a big gem."

"It's also what keeps the power of the seven Chaos Emeralds in check," I told them, startling them. "And it's my responsibility to keep anything from happening to it. Which means keeping it out of _your_ hands," I said pointedly.

"Oh yeah? And what're you gonna do about it, monster boy?" Groose asked snidely. "Eat us?"

"I'm getting kinda tired of that. How 'bout I show you what I usually do?"

"What's that? Run and hide?"

I didn't give him any warning, or any indication of what I was doing. I just swung one fist out and hit him, backhand, full in the chest and sent him tumbling down the main steps. Which naturally hurt a lot, and got the attention of the guards waiting there.

"Want some?" I threatened Cawlin, raising my other fist. He quickly remembered somewhere else to be, scrambling down the side of the shrine's remains and leaping off the island. His Loftwing caught him, and then two Rescue Knights followed suit – flying at night isn't allowed without special training, after all.

I didn't see Groose for a few days after that little incident, though I gather that was largely because he was recovering from a few injuries he picked up in the night. I didn't have to explain anything – partly because of the guards, but also because Cawlin, interestingly, went ahead and told Gaepora what they were doing. He understood I'd just been protecting the Master Emerald and let it slip – which naturally offended Groose even more. He never forgot that early lesson though.

Later on in my rather extended stay in Skyloft, Karane finally came to find me about Loftwings, though she waited until Pipit and I had finished up, and even while concentrating on what he was teaching me I spotted what I suspected for a long time he didn't – Karane's eyes never left him for a moment. Pipit on the other hand seemed to be completely oblivious, and not just because of me.

She shook it off once we'd both sheathed our swords – that had taken me some time to get used to, I can tell you – joining us with another pause to glance at her secret crush, then focused and got back to me.

"Gaepora thinks it's about time you found your partner Loftwing. Pipit's the expert on them," she told me, with another glance to him. "But I've been asked to go along in case one doesn't show."

"It's always the way," Pipit explained, leading the way out of the academy. "The Loftwings aren't trained, you see. They're wild birds, free to roam the sky as they please. They recognise us though, and us Knights in particular. Most people, if they fall off, get caught by the Rescue Knights – you've seen that before, I'm sure."

"I've seen them, never had to see them retrieve someone – yet."

"Just hope you don't have to," Karane told me. "You should only need them yourself if you try to fly at night – Loftwings don't have very good night-vision. You need special training for that."

"And from what I gather, you don't have time for that," Pipit added. "That Link guy showed up a few days back, said once you get through the Wing Ceremony and become a Knight, that's when you'll really get started. And that's due to happen soon."

"I wonder what might happen if I didn't pass," I mused to myself.

"Link might forgive you, but Pipit would probably deafen you," Karane suggested with a sly look. "He'd hate for all that work to have gone to waste."

"I don't know about that," Pipit said. "I'd be a bit irritated, sure. But it's not like I can help it, it's all down to you."

"Nothing new there then. So what's involved in finding a Loftwing?"

"You jump off and see if one responds," Karane said off-handedly. I waited in case there was more.

"Seriously? That's it?"

"Pretty much. That's why I'm going along, you see? The Rescue Knights have already been told about this, so they'll leave you alone. But you need someone around to catch you if one doesn't respond. Sometimes it happens, and all you can do is wait a while and try again."

"Then we get to see if you're a natural born Loftwing rider or not," Pipit continued. "Don't worry if you aren't, your Loftwing shouldn't let you get into any risky situations at first, and Karane will be on hand to teach you if you need. Then you just come back up here and I'll tell you what you need to know. If you haven't figured it out already, that is. And of course I have to stay up here to witness it – it's the way of things."

"Just don't let me hit the ground," I told Karane, who looked puzzled.

"What ground?" she asked. Too late I remembered – these people thought the sky was all there was.

"Never mind," I covered quickly. Maybe we'd better just get on with this before I change my mind about throwing myself off."

"Don't tell me you're afraid," Pipit asked, amused. "She'll be there to catch you if one doesn't show. You don't have anything to worry about."

"Try telling that to my mind," I replied wryly.

I could only watch as Karane easily dived gracefully off an edge, falling for a time with outstretched arms until a pale blue Loftwing soared into a perfect position for her to land on its back, loop about and then hover, waiting in the air for me to follow suit – and hopefully also see a Loftwing of my own.

"I've almost got a mind to ask you to shove me off," I said to Pipit, stood on the edge. I'm _not_ afraid of heights, and I'll fight anyone who says otherwise, but leaping off out into the sky when you know there's a painful landing below just isn't something any sensible person can do.

Me with my big mouth however – Pipit took me literally and really did shove me off. It took me a few moments to recover from that and glide, as I've always done, slowing my descent somewhat. That startled Karane, and I imagine Pipit too if I'd been able to see him, but it also looked as if the Loftwings weren't going to respond to that. After a bit of a mental struggle with myself, I reluctantly stopped and let myself fall instead.

I remember seeing Karane's Loftwing dive down to follow, and the clouds rushing up to meet me. I also remember hearing a clear call of a Loftwing, the heavy flap of wings, and a solid landing onto the back of a Loftwing that had appeared so suddenly to me, as crimson as I was, easily soaring the skies. It levelled off, having been diving itself to meet me, then glanced back to me questioningly.

I adjusted, making sure I had a firm hold that wouldn't hurt it, then looked up to the distant blue Loftwing of the waiting Karane and Skyloft further beyond.

"What do you say we race them back to Skyloft?" I suggested to my Loftwing. He let loose another cry, banked hard to turn and gain height rapidly. I leaned to one side once we straightened out, and he banked that way. I leaned back and he slowed, leaned forward to gain speed. He seemed to know whether I wanted to ascend or descend without any movement on my part. Natural rider? It seemed simple to me.

We overtook a startled looking Karane and shot past the edge Pipit had pushed me off, where he too looked no less surprised. Rather than try to land we continued on, flying over and around Skyloft, and it seemed attracting even more attention than when I'd first arrived. I wasn't paying too much attention though – gliding on my own power is one thing, but flying is a whole different experience entirely.


	4. Loftwing Hunt

Once I'd circled Skyloft a few times and had plenty of people stop and stare – yes, even I like to show of once in a while, don't look at me like that – I finally came in alongside Karane and Pipit, who were waiting where Pipit had pushed me off. I simply leapt over and used my own natural gliding to make a safe landing.

"You know what that was?" Pipit asked, looking suitably impressed.

"Besides a Loftwing?" I responded.

"Not just a Loftwing – that was a Crimson Loftwing."

"You don't say!" I got given a pair of almost matching hard looks at that. "Alright, that mighta been a bit excessive. I just had the most fun I've had for a fair while. What's so special about my Loftwing?"

"They were thought to be extinct," Karane explained. "The Crimson Loftwings are stronger, more agile, even swifter than most others. They haven't been seen for years now."

"I don't think it was just coincidence," Pipit mused. "You and that weird guy Link... there's something more going on here. I wouldn't be surprised to find out the Goddess is looking out for you."

I'd heard of the Goddess during my time here, sometimes known as Her Grace and more informally as Hylia, but beyond this I knew very little. Skyloftians don't seem to feel the need to venerate their deity as openly as others do. Personally though, I knew Link to be the one responsible when he wasn't busy complaining to Fate.

* * *

"Do you mind?" Link interrupted. "I did not complain! I was just... a little frustrated at the time."

"As I recall, Fate scolded you almost every time I saw you," Knuckles said. "Do you know, one time after you'd disappeared Fi even remarked that she thought you were being overly childish?"

"That would be Hylia's fault," Link grimaced. "She was the one who created Fi, and She knew me. I'd worked with Her on occasion before Fate had me take on this task. I imagine She warned Fi about me."

"Just who is Fi – besides your companion, I mean," Silver cut in.

"Let me tell the story and you'll find out, Knuckles replied.

* * *

Karane took over my handling of the sword from Pipit, who as the resident expert on Loftwings got me through the early stages of taking care of and building a rapport with my Loftwing. The latter seemed largely unnecessary as the great red bird appeared to trust me completely. Pipit had casually noted that more than a few trainee Knights had been sent to the infirmary with bite wounds caused by their Loftwings, and he seemed completely baffled by the fact that not once did it show even the slightest intent of harming me.

On the other hand, it did pick up a fair bit from me. While Loftwings generally roam free, there's a cavern underneath the Knight Academy where they can roost, places for them to let their Knights check up and take care of them. I tried to be there whenever I got the chance, mainly because the novelty of flight had yet to wear off, and both my Loftwing and I never passed up the chance.

Groose and his company also noticed this however, and frequently came to pester me. He had learned well his earlier lesson, but with the three of them in the presence of their Loftwings as well, they grew bolder and started making all kinds of stupid remarks and comments about me, even going so far as to make absurd claims about my Loftwing, simply because it was different.

I drew the line there, and I was about to lash out when my Loftwing darted forward, swift on its feet as well as in the skies and tried to bite Groose's hand. Not once, and certainly not satisfied with his beak clicking closed over nothing, he then proceeded to try again and again, practically chasing them on to their Loftwings to make a hasty retreat.

In time though, my two tutors believed there was little else they could teach me and simply spent their time keeping me in practice. Swordplay is not like some other skills, you have to practice regularly to keep it up. Flying was much the same, though that depended more on my Loftwing. What had first seemed so simple was only the beginning – there were intricacies I hadn't expected at first, all manner of subtleties that would make manoeuvring in the sky far easier. Which came in useful.

Mostly I was just marking time until the Wing Ceremony came along, in which Groose, Stritch, Cawlin and I would all be taking part. Zelda explained it to me in advance since I was unfamiliar with it – a bird statuette would be attached to a yellow Loftwing and sent out into the sky. First we would have to locate it, then we had to take it from the Loftwing without harming it, and then we had to hold on to it and stop the others stealing it. The one who got it back was instantly awarded their Knighthood, and in theory, the remaining trainee Knights got a second chance. In theory.

Following that there was also the ritual that followed, the new Knight taking part with another who took on the part of the Goddess. Zelda was the one planned for that role this year.

On the day of the Wing Ceremony I planned to get in some early practice flights before it started, trying out a few ideas I'd had. Karane heard me getting up far earlier than usual and tagged along to watch, and it was just as well she did, because when I dived off the edge of Skyloft, my Loftwing was nowhere to be found.

While I fell, I flipped on to my back to get her attention, then fell back on gliding as before to slow myself. Karane didn't miss the significance of that after the first time, calling her own Loftwing to retrieve me and get me safely back up. I tried a second time, just in case, and again no Loftwing came.

"This can't be right," I muttered irritably to myself once we'd landed. "A day like this, surely he'd be here."

"Loftwings are highly intelligent. If you've mentioned it to him, he'd be here," she assured me.

"Then where is he? Something's fishy about all this. Loftwings don't just ignore the call, not twice, right?"

"It's completely unheard of," Karane replied. "Something must have happened... but I don't know what."

"Talk to Fledge," Link told us, sitting on a fence nearby having somehow appeared without us noticing.

"Fledge?" I asked. "Why him?"

"I can't answer that. This is something you're supposed to do. I can only nudge things in the right direction. It's all I ever do," he shrugged. "Oh, and you might want to talk to Horwell too. Isn't he the one who's presiding over the ceremony this year?"

"Aren't you the one who's supposed to know?" Karane accused him. "And if you _do_ know, why don't you 'nudge' things a bit further?"

"It doesn't work like that," Link protested, trying to mollify her. "Stuff has to be done in the right order, if I mess things up Mother will chew me out for it!"

"I'll chew you out if you don't start making yourself useful!"

"I'm just doing what I have to do, it's no good taking it out on me! It wasn't my idea to-" he broke off guiltily.

"So you do know something! 'fess up!" she demanded.

"This is _not_ going how I thought," Link muttered. He backed away from the advancing Karane, made a vague gesture and vanished back into mist again.

"I'm going to kill him," Karane muttered. "Who does he think he is?"

"Maybe we should take his advice," I suggested. "Since he's decided not to be a punching bag. I'll find Fledge, you talk to Horwell?"

Karane thought for a moment, then answered, "He'll want to talk to Gaepora about it, especially if we have to delay the race for foul play. I'll just drag them into the same room and make them listen." She paused, then in a slightly more calm tone, "Well, if I ask them to, anyway."

I almost felt sorry for poor Pipit, knowing she had her sights on him. She had a lot of fire in her when something irritated her, that's for sure!

This left me looking for Fledge, and I knew he was usually another early riser, with good reason. The morning was usually the only time he had to go pick up things around the town and generally run errands without Groose picking on him, so he made full use of the time. Which also meant the most likely place I was going to find him was one of Skyloft's broad plazas.

Fledge wasn't there, but predictably Groose was, backed by Cawlin and Stritch. I was going to ignore them, until I overheard them talking amongst themselves.

"... was a pain, with all that scratching and pecking," Stritch was saying as he wrapped a bandage around one of Groose's hands.

"'course it was," Groose replied. "You thought he'd go down without a fight? He's as fierce as they come, but we don't have to worry – that pen will hold him good and tight."

"Behind you," Cawlin murmured, just loud enough to be heard. I chanced a glance and saw he'd spotted me. Groose turned and started back.

"Knuckles!" he boomed. "Uh... just how long you been standing there?" he asked, looking guilty.

"Long enough," I replied. "Why don't you tell me where this pen is, and maybe I'll 'forget' to tell anyone what I just heard."

"What pen?"

"Sorry, I thought you were trying to deny it for a moment there," I said flatly. "That's a fairly large bandage you've got there. Get hurt by something did you?"

"Remember what I said?" Cawlin murmured to Groose.

"What? Oh – right. A bit of wood fell on me. Had nails in and stuff, scratched me up pretty bad."

"And this bit of wood – it just happened to have a beak, did it? For all that pecking?" I raised my fists threateningly. "Want to see if you get away with it this time? You didn't do so well when you tried to steal the Master Emerald, and now you think you can get away with this?"

"I never said anything about stealing your Loftwing!" he protested.

"Really? Who said I was talking about a Loftwing? _I_ never mentioned one. Where's the pen, Groose?"

Rather than answer, the three of them turned and ran, leaping off the nearest edge to flee on their Loftwings. It at least told me _who_ was responsible – just not where. And I still hadn't found Fledge. Given that Groose and his bunch had been around though, I rather suspected I knew where the timid Fledge would be and made for the Knight Academy.

Karane must have alerted more than just Instructor Horwell about what had happened, because Pipit was waiting outside with Fledge, and unusually for him, he had his sword drawn. Resting point down in the earth, but it made it clear he was expecting trouble.

"Knuckles!" he called to me he spotted me. "C'mon over here – you need to hear this!"

"You heard what happened then?" I asked.

"I doubt anyone doesn't. Karane woke everyone up telling us your Loftwing had gone missing. I asked Fledge about it," he said, and Fledge tried to look even more meek than usual. "And get this – he started acting all weird."

I turned to him and just gave him a questioning look. Knowing Fledge, I don't really blame him for trying to hide behind Pipit. Word about what I'd done to Groose had spread, after all.

"I'm sorry Knuckles, I wanted to tell you but Groose... he said if I told you..."

"Groose forced him to keep quiet about it," Pipit finished for him. "Hence the sword. It was the only way I could convince him to talk. Now tell him," he told Fledge firmly.

Stuttering and stammering due to nerves, he explained. "I was in the dining hall, helping clean, when Groose and his friends came in. They didn't... I made sure they didn't notice I was there. I didn't want them to bully me again, but I listened in."

"Let me guess. You overheard them talking about capturing my Loftwing?"

"You knew already?" Pipit asked.

"I saw the three of them just a few minutes ago. They all but confirmed it. Go on Fledge, you might know something they didn't tell me – like where he is."

"They were only talking about planning to do it, Knuckles. I wanted to warn you, but when I tried to sneak away... Cawlin noticed me and pointed me out to them. They kinda... they grabbed me and told me if I said anything they'd make sure I'd never ride a bird ever again!"

"It sounds like them, but I could do with a place, Fledge. Anything."

"They mentioned something about a waterfall. Does that help?"

"There's only two waterfalls on Skyloft – the one that goes off the edge and down below, and the one just north of your island," Pipit told me. "I've seen them up there often lately too. Carrying wood and some tools. I thought they might be doing something constructive for once."

"Yeah – like constructing a pen to hide my Loftwing in," I added. "I'll take a look. I'd ask you to come along, but I don't think it'd be a good idea to leave Fledge alone in case they come back and find out."

"Don't worry yourself Knuckles," Pipit said grimly. "I've been dying for a chance to show them how a _real_ swordsman fights. You go get your Loftwing back, and make sure he's alright. You need to be on top form for the Wing Ceremony."


	5. Ceremony in the Sky

"I've been meaning to ask you," Silver spoke up during the pause. "Just when does Knuckles' story happen in relation to our own timelines? It's a little hard to tell."

"You mean how I ordered them for your terms, rather than Hyrule's?" Link asked. "They're actually exactly the same order as they are here. So Knuckles first, then Manic, you and most recently Tails. Sonic's took place after all of yours, largely due to you and Manic."

"Wait, that doesn't explain the chest," Tails said. "Up in the city in the sky, Knuckles didn't seem to know-"

"Yeah, I know," Knuckles said. "Link had words with me. I wasn't to admit any knowledge of ever being a Hero unless you found out. It was one of the reasons I never bothered to pick up a sword in front of you – you'd have wondered where I'd become so proficient with it."

"Were you also responsible for that red chest I found?" Silver asked. "The one with the spiked knuckles in I found over in the Spirit Temple."

"Yeah, that was also me. I kinda had to persuade Link to cooperate for that one."

"There wasn't really any point to it," Link explained. "Granted you found some uses to it, but it was hardly as essential as certain other items – the Hover Boots, for example."

"I hate those things," Silver shuddered. "If it hadn't been for the Shadow Temple I'd never have touched them. Was that..."

"No, that wasn't my idea, and neither was the repeat you caused over in Ikana. I don't normally have any reach into Termina, but I owed one of the locals a favour." Link paused then sighed, "I end up doing that a lot. Owing favours I mean. Even now I can't manage completely on my own, so I inevitably have to ask someone for help. One day I'll pay them all off and then maybe people will owe me one. Anyway, we really need to stop interrupting. We've still only barely started. If we keep this up, we'll be here for months."

"At least it'll keep Manic outta trouble," Scourge muttered to Sonic.

* * *

The cave behind the waterfall was damp, wet and none too bright. It was also infested with Keese and ChuChus, though naturally at the time I didn't know what they were. They attacked, and I struck out – with one fist mostly, since the sword was in the other hand and I still tended to favour a solid blow before a strike with the sword.

ChuChus demanded the sword though, their gelatinous surface taking even the most powerful punches I landed and just wobbling back. It disoriented them a bit, but they completely ignored it otherwise. A neat strike through them separated each one into two smaller ones that apparently couldn't sustain themselves, and gave me the first introductions into the strange way everything dies in Hyrule, vanishing in a puff of smoke. If nothing else, it's neater than standing in a pile of robot parts.

I did wonder idly just how Groose and his company had managed here, since none of them had a sword outside of the sparring halls – there'd been a few looks about my exception to that, but since I was protecting something, no one actually tried to take it off me.

Since the cave was hardly large, I won't bother to give you an idea of the short journey through it. It's not a dungeon, after all. Only one route that leads to a cliff edge underneath the main island of Skyloft, where I found my Loftwing – stuck behind long beams of wood that had been tied together, locking it in a crevice in the rocks. Rather than smash through and potentially injure my friend, I sliced through the ropes and flung the beams off the edge. Someone down below was about to get a shower of timber.

Naturally, he was happy to see me, nuzzling at me for a moment before stretching his wings and taking to the skies, closely followed by me. I didn't need to whistle to get his attention, not with him right up close, and once again together we soared back up over Skyloft.

I spotted Groose looking rather chagrined along the way, and though Instructor Horwell was present I leapt off to join them, my sword somehow conveniently coming loose from its sheath and finding its way into my hand by the time I landed. Cawlin and Stritch quickly backed away, and even Groose looked apprehensive.

"Now Knuckles, lets not do anything hasty," he tried to reason with me. "It was just a bit of sport, you know? No harm done, and you're here in time!"

"A bit of sport? Is that way you call it?" I asked, somehow keeping a level tone.

"Ah, Knuckles?" Horwell said tentatively. "Perhaps you'd like to put your sword away?"

I gave him a blank look, then looked with mock surprise to my sword. "Was I holding this the whole time? I never even realized. Amazing the things that slip out when you're falling, eh? Must have thought I was going to threaten you with it."

Groose gave a nervous laugh, looking slightly sick, but was quickly in hushed discussion with Cawlin and Stritch. What about, I didn't hear – though I have my suspicions now.

While they talked, Horwell took me to one side and neatly confiscated my sword.

"For fair play," he told me. "It'll be kept safe for you. You know what's involved in the Wing Ceremony?"

"Zelda explained it to me," I replied. "The Yellow Loftwing just behind you has a statuette, I take it off it, keep it and bring it back here. Or one of them do, but somehow I can't see that happening."

"Don't get overconfident, Knuckles. There'll be a bit of ceremony beforehand of course, and I'm expected to say a fair bit. There'll be others watching naturally, so I'd appreciate it if you'd keep yourself from yawning too much. It happens sometimes."

"And afterwards as well? She told me about _that_ too."

"Don't worry yourself about that. You'll have no need to be concerned. Now then..." Louder, to all of us, he announced, "Places gentlemen! We are about to begin!"

Aside from a recap of the rules and the plaintive warning to keep it fair (which I expected the other three to ignore), I let most of what passed next wash over me. I couldn't tell you what was said because aside from looking as if I was listening, all I was really waiting for was the sign to start.

I started paying attention where at a light slap on the side the Yellow Loftwing was sent soaring into the air, given a good few minutes head-start before a firework going off marked our turn, running for the edge to leap off. Stritch and Cawlin both beat me to the edge, but I was't concerned with that – I know I'm not the fastest on my feet. Even Groose was just slightly ahead of me, calling his Loftwing before mine arrived, but once I was on the back of the great Crimson Loftwing I knew I had this in the bag. I made use of a steep dive to pick up speed and to get a good idea of where the Yellow Loftwing had gone.

I'd been watching it after it had taken off, of course, but it too had dived down low and out of sight. It could have gone anywhere from there, making the first task finding it. While Groose and his company naturally stuck together to help each other, I had no such aid myself, only what I could see, and I saw them spread out somewhat, casting about for the Yellow Loftwing.

Once I'd assured myself it was not still underneath Skyloft and hadn't landed on any of the lower, hidden cliff areas, we soared up high instead. From a higher vantage we'd be able to dive and pick up speed rapidly if we spotted it. The disadvantage was of course that if Groose and company spotted it, they were much closer – but had less height to gain from.

My Loftwing gave a cry and banked to the right without prompting, catching my attention – he'd spotted it before I had! Just beyond the island with the giant pumpkin house, but veering away, heading toward the part of the sky where the others were.

"See if we can catch up with it before they even realize," I said to my Loftwing, who simply gave another cry, gaining yet more height for a steeper dive. Almost all sound was lost to the rush of the air we practically sliced through, even the islands around us shot past. We tracked the Yellow Loftwing, always aiming just ahead of it, always ready to turn again to stay ahead.

I kept a close eye on the others too. Though I'd have hoped otherwise, at least one of them had been returning the favour and once they'd spotted us diving, the three of them had been quick to predict where we were aiming and spot the bird themselves. They were closer, but we still had the speed of the dive on our side.

The Yellow Loftwing spooked – understandably – turning sharply in the air to fly away from us. The extra distance gave us more space in which to dive, but also less height, and though my Loftwing was still the faster, Groose was nevertheless gaining on us, having soared up and taken smaller dives to catch up.

"Oi!" Groose yelled to me. "Don't you know this is my day to get all the glory!"

I didn't bother to respond aloud, but we did have to veer off quickly as he tried to slam his Loftwing into mine. He yelled something up to Cawlin and Stritch, who were higher up and already diving for us, but whatever it was I lost to the winds as I guided my Loftwing into gaining height again. I wasn't going to let that happen again if I could help it.

I found out what he'd told them to do shortly afterwards as their Loftwings finally caught up to us, though still lagging behind. They started lobbing eggs at us, with a terrible aim, but having to constantly avoid them and concentrate on the Yellow Loftwing too was a distraction. One of them caught me in the back, breaking and leaving runny remains over me, but otherwise they were too poor a shot to hit me, and in any case they had to frequently rise and dive just to keep up. I still had the advantage.

Groose nearly caught the Yellow Loftwing once, about to reach for it when it turned sharply to avoid the bottom of a floating island, and Groose just barely managed to avoid it himself, losing the Yellow Loftwing in the process until the others pointed him in the right direction. It had cost him though, and I took full advantage of that, nudging my own into a dive, again keeping just ahead of the yellow one. This time Groose didn't manage to keep up and the Yellow Loftwing, while still flying ahead of us, did not have any obstacles in its path. We were just swift enough with the last of the speed we gained from the dive to catch up, leaving me only to reach ahead, holding on one-handed, catch the statuette and tug once to snap the string that had been holding it.

My Loftwing saw it all and gave a loud victory cry, waiting until I had the statuette safely secured and a good hold again before he turned and headed back to Skyloft. Eggs still came from Cawlin and Stritch, and more than once Groose tried to collide again, but now I could devote my full attention to them I gave them more than just a run for their money.

We landed exactly where we'd taken off, where I showed the statuette to prove myself. Zelda, who'd seen what happened, was already waiting with a towel to wipe the egg off my back. The others landed just in time to hear Horwell proclaim my victory – followed by Gaepora rounding on them for their actions.

"Come on," Zelda said to me, tugging my arm. "We've got the rest of the ceremony to see to. Race you to the Goddess statue!"


	6. Creatures in the Night

The actual ceremony itself was fairly simple – we both landed on the statue of the Goddess, up on top of her upturned hands, where Zelda took the statuette from me and set it into a niche, offering it up to the Goddess with a brief melody played on a harp.

It didn't end there though. I'm not really one for ceremony, but if nothing else for Zelda I went with it. She offered me her hand, gesturing for me to kneel as I took it, and in a more formal dialect spoke. "Great Goddess, guiding light and protector of our people, grant us your blessing and mercy as I act in your stead during this ceremony."

I listened patiently, though a movement caught my eye. There had been something perching on one of the great wings of the statue, and had moved away as soon as I'd looked. I didn't say anything though as Zelda now took on an even more formal tone, one that suggested to me that if the Goddess were to speak to us, this would be her voice – foreshadowing what was yet to be discovered.

"Valiant one who grasped victory at the celebration of the bird folk," she began, and I assumed she reverted to 'one' since I wasn't human. "In accordance with the old ways, I now bestow my blessings upon you."

Again I spotted a movement – now on the other wing, once again darting quickly out of sight. There was definitely something there. I still didn't react openly though, primarily because Zelda was removing something – for a startled moment I thought she was about to take off her clothes, but it turned out to be a large sailcloth, intricately embroidered with the designs I'd seen throughout Skyloft and are seen on the Hylian shield in the future. She'd tied it around her shoulders for safekeeping, and now handed it neatly folded to me.

"The blessings of the Goddess drift down from the heavens aloft a sail, which is now bequeathed upon you," she informed me, still in that formal tone – and again I noticed that movement! Just above the head this time. Every time I noticed it, it managed to vanish!

I took the cloth from her with a questioning look, and she smiled. "Don't worry," she told me, normal voice again. "You don't have to say anything. Most new Knights don't. But you do have to do just one thing," she said with a mischievous smile. "And no cheating either!"

"Me? Cheat?" I protested.

"Yes – you, cheat. I've seen you when you land, Knuckles. You can glide on your own. And to properly complete the ceremony, you're not allowed to do that." She walked past me and pointed down to the courtyard below, where our two Loftwings were waiting expectantly around an ornate ring of stones. "They know what's next, of course," she told me.

"The ring? I don't-" I broke off. "If Link has something to do with this, I'm going to thump him. You want me to land there – using this as a parachute."

"Is that really such a problem?" Zelda asked innocently. "We'll see how brave you are. The closer to the ground you are before you open it, the more fearless you are. And don't tell me you don't do that sort of thing – I saw you when you first got your Loftwing, showing off."

She had me there. Even I sometimes get the urge to show off.

"That's all I have to do. Land there, not end up being scraped off the ground, and then I'm a Knight."

"Well, you won't _really_ be a Knight until you've got your tunic. Just think of what Link's been wearing, only tailored for you. But you have to do this too."

I didn't really have much of a choice, not least because she took me by the shoulders and made sure I was right at the edge – and then, just for good measure, I was once again pushed off the edge.

You can't help but panic at least briefly when you're unexpectedly falling. I did manage to sort myself out well enough and, although reluctantly, avoid the urge to glide on my own power as usual. I _did_ however leave it as late as I dared, just to show off – although I'm fairly sure the sailcloth hadn't even fully opened by the time I touched down.

Technically, Gaepora should have been there to see it, or at least one of the instructors. As it was they were still rather busy handling Groose, Stritch and Cawlin, but I still had an audience. Pipit, Karane and Fledge were all in attendance, though they kept their distance, knowing something I didn't.

That 'something' was Zelda, of course. Having given me the sailcloth, she had to call her Loftwing to come down and join me, but she didn't get off. My own Loftwing, never one to pass up flying, nuzzled at my hand to get my attention. Like him, I love to fly, just nothing at all compares.

In retrospect that might have been a mistake for quite a number of reasons. We went out flying, always keeping in sight of Skyloft, and had I been any other resident of the island... well, there'd have been more said, to say the least. There were plenty of people who'd envy me for the chance to fly alone with Zelda.

The real reason it was a mistake came just as we made a long, lazy turn to head back to Skyloft. There was a thunderous boom and a sudden blast of wind that shot up from below, creating a vicious, dirty brown vortex of air. We both nudged our Loftwings to bank hard, veering off to try to avoid it, but the massive storm wind only grew larger, even following us.

"Link you little green brat, if you really need me here do something about this!" I yelled over the sound of the howling winds. I barely caught a few snatches of his disembodied response.

"Not something I can..." his voice started, then was drowned out, then, "...interfering with my..." and then I got nothing else. So much for him.

The winds grew more vicious, not tracking me I realized but Zelda – and her Loftwing was bearing them far worse than my own. We dived to reach the already plummeting blue Loftwing and her passenger, but the winds had other ideas – the storm seemed to be somehow aware, moving to blast us off course.

Zelda was blown off her Loftwing by the same winds, and though the storm drowned her out, I still saw her reaching imploringly up to me.

"Dive!" I snapped to my Loftwing, not something I usually did – normally I never needed to say anything, let alone command it. He folded his wings back, bearing almost straight down, very nearly plummeting ourselves, but the storm again proved its strange awareness, moving to obscure her from view and then swiping us both away. I lost my grip and was sent flying, as was my Loftwing, only just barely managing to recover to retrieve me before I too fell below the clouds.

We paused in the air, hovering as we regarded the storm – only to find it was already fading, sinking beneath the clouds. Neither Zelda or her Loftwing were anywhere in sight.

* * *

The residents of Skyloft were besides themselves with concern of course, Gaepora more so than any other as Zelda was his daughter. Even Groose seemed subdued, though he absolutely refused to see me at all.

I give them due credit – despite their initial concerns about me, they did not hold me responsible in the slightest. It could have happened to anyone, though how the unnatural winds had occurred and once I'd explained what I'd seen, why it had clearly been after Zelda all remained unclear.

Despite the not inconsiderable damper this had on the general mood of the island I was nevertheless required to submit to a few oddly awkward moments with the academy's resident tailor, who took measurements I wouldn't have thought necessary in preparation for the clothing appropriate for a Knight of Skyloft – complete with a few alterations that were sort of necessary due to my not being Skyloftian. He went away umming and ahhing, trying to figure out how best to handle the gauntlets.

Then since it was already late when the storm had shown itself and getting later by the time I was finally done with the tailor, I headed to bed. It was late, and it had been an active day – retrieving my Loftwing, getting one up on Groose and all the rest, more had happened in that one day than had happened in all the rest of the time I'd been here.

I don't normally have a problem sleeping, and normally I don't remember much of my dreams, but this night was different. Not only did I have trouble actually getting to sleep, and staying asleep without something waking me, but tonight someone or something had other plans.

Finally I just gave up and even though it was the middle of the night, I got up and headed out into the Academy. At least this late at night I didn't have to worry about anyone encountering a sleepless, irritable me.

Only when I paused outside my room, a movement caught my eye. Not as furtive as it had been before, and now when I looked I saw at last the source of these annoyingly evasive movements – a strange blue creature, almost but not quite translucent. In place of arms she appeared to have a wide cloak draped around her, indigo on her right side instead of the blue of her left. A small stone held it together just below her neck, attached to golden lined blue clothing that concealed anything revealing – not that I was interested in that, though the Skyloftians might have.

I say her now because I know who and what she is, but then of course I had no idea. All I knew was that this strange creature was floating above the stairs at one end of the Academy, and she was watching me. I approached and with a phantom wind that made no sound or movement, she moved back up and away as if leading me.

She floated up to and through the main doors in a shimmer of light, then waited for me outside since I naturally had to open the doors myself – and though plenty of people will find room for improvement, I knew those doors and took care to open them quietly, so as not to disturb anyone. If I'd been paying more attention, I'd have noticed that I'd already caught someone's attention, and I don't mean her.

I continued to follow her through night-time Skyloft, taking a rather rough route around Skyloft, frequently having to resort to my own abilities to cross gaps that led straight down to the clouds below, and several times leaping said gaps because there was simply nothing close enough to use.

Her route led me to the rear of the base of the Goddess statue, where again she floated right through, only this time it appeared to be solid stone. An archway of stone with the same symbol etched into it as was on the sailcloth Zelda had given me.

A moment after she'd gone through the symbol lit up, then the stone with it, fading to leave an empty archway to a room concealed within the statue's base. A large, clearly artificial cavern beyond awaited, lit by four large torches arranged in a square around an area raised up slightly, centred around an impressive blade in a pedestal – the place and pedestal that would later be visited regularly by another Hero.

* * *

"Alright, how did you figure that out?" Link asked. "I _know_ you didn't know at the time, so when did you figure it out too?"

"When Silver was talking about his tale," Knuckles shrugged. "He described the Temple of Time to us, and the place the Master Sword was waiting for him. You might have moved it from Skyloft to Hyrule below, but I recognised it all the same."

"And it's probably the same place I saw too," Tails added. "Though that stands to reason, since the ruins I was in led to Silver's Temple of Time."

"And y'know, it kinda reminds me of that place below Hyrule Castle too," Sonic put in. "You kinda re-use places a lot, Link."

"It's easier on me that way. You have no idea how taxing it is to handle all the dungeons, especially trying to accommodate you Heroes. Some of you have had it far easier because I felt a bit lazy. I get shouted at a bit by the others, but as long as I do my job..." he trailed off.


	7. Sword of the Goddess

**A/N: **Patience for just a little longer people - we're almost at the start of the adventure proper. It's a bit unusual to see so many lengthy cutscenes so early in a game, but it just wouldn't be right if I left them out.

* * *

The strange creature I'd followed to this clearly secret place was not visible at first. The hilt of the blade enshrined in stone glowed the same blue as she had though, drawing attention to it, and then when I approached it flashed blue and the creature emerged, flipping in the air to hover just before it, bowing deeply before she straightened.

She watched without concern or fear, or any other emotion playing over her blue features as I closed the distance further, then at last she spoke, a choral, melodic and oddly artificial sounding voice.

"The one chosen by my creator, I been waiting for you," she told me. "You have a role to play in a great destiny awaiting you."

"Link told me already," I said. "He's kinda the entire reason I'm here. And you are...?" I left it hanging.

"Yes, of course," she said as if answering a whole different question, nodding briefly. "It is the social custom to provide you with my personal designation. I am Fi, created for a single purpose long before the recorded history of your people or those with whom you share this place. That purpose is to aid you in the fulfilment of the great destiny that is your burden to bear."

"As if I didn't have enough burdens on my shoulders," I muttered, though Fi appeared not to notice. It always was hard to tell exactly how much she heard – or didn't hear.

"Come, Knuckles the Echidna, last descendant of the Knuckles Clan," she went on apparently heedlessly, surprising me with just how much she knew of me. Either Link, Fate or Hylia – or maybe even all three – knew more than most already.

"You must take up the this sword," Fi continued. "As the one chosen by my creator, it is your destiny. Without it, I project a minimal chance of success in the journey that awaits you."

Fi and her projecting of chances was something that frequently bothered me. Once and once only did she ever come up with an absolute certainty, and on that occasion I whole-heartedly agreed with her. The rest of the time it was always a minimal chance, or a high probability, sometimes even a rough percentage.

"In the name of my creator, draw the sword and raise it skyward," Fi told me, at last rising clear of me to allow me to reach the blade itself. The whole sword in a stone thing is kinda clichéd, but at least I knew what I was doing.

Typically, since I was the chosen bearer of this sword, there was little resistance. Anyone else could have struggled for hours trying to remove it, but in my hands it rose smoothly out of the pedestal. Slightly heavier than the sword I was used to practising with, much more ornate. Polished not to a mirror silver but to a bright blue, as bright as Fi was, a gem set in place where the blade met the handle – a gem identical to the one she also bore.

The statue of Hylia is hollow inside, with a central pillar above that domed chamber that reaches outside and allows the moonlight to stream in. By coincidence, it was not only a full moon, but the moon was directly overhead as I raised that sword toward it.

To my own surprise – swords don't generally light up on their own, after all – light built up at the tip, streaming down the blade until a flash occurred, leaving the entire blade glowing. It neither faded or changed, surrounding the blade simply awaiting use.

"Recognition complete," Fi remarked clinically. "Master Knuckles. My master."

"I'm not-" I started to object, but yet another voice interrupted – that of the one person who had noticed me leave the academy, had I paid enough attention to notice.

"Knuckles!" Gaepora boomed, his voice echoing loudly. He stood in the entrance of the cavern, clearly surprised. "I had suspicions when Link appeared to us of course, but now... here in the hidden Chamber of the Goddess' Sword, I can have no doubt. It was foretold long ago that a legend would one day be forged here."

He paused, looking up to Fi who regarded him with the same lack of emotion as she had me, then joined me and looked over the sword.

"It is said that this place was left to our people by the goddess Herself, the very knowledge of the room's existence a secret passed down only to a select few in each generation, along with a handful of words."

"Oral tradition," Fi noted. "One of the least reliable methods of information retention and transmission."

"Perhaps so," Gaepora said, a faint hint of rebuke in his tone. "We are told that when the light of the sword shines bright, a great apocalypse will awaken from its long slumber. The legends go on to say, 'Do not fear, for it is then that the monster who is no monster, guided by my hands, shall reveal himself in a place most sacred' – you, and this place, evidently."

"I wish people would stop calling me a monster," I complained. "Seriously, do I really look like a monster to you?"

Gaepora gave me an amused look, while Fi took up her own narrative. "It appears as expected the critical sections of the passage have been lost over the generations. It neglects to mention that Master Knuckles shall be known as the Goddesses Chosen Hero, and it is he who possesses an unbreakable spirit."

"Wait just a moment," I interrupted. "Link was the one who chose me for this, he came to my island and got me to come here."

"Perhaps he did so at the behest of Her Grace?" Gaepora suggested. "There must be some cooperation between them, otherwise you would not be able to take up Her sword."

Fi waited for us to fall silent, then without bothering to confirm or deny this, continued to relay the original. "He shall be burdened with the task of abolishing the shadow of the apocalypse from the land and the sky. Such is his destiny. With the spirit of the sword at his side, he shall soar over clouds and plummet below, and united with the spirit maiden shall bring forth a piercing light that resurrects the land."

"That must mean Zelda," Gaepora breathed. "My own daughter... I knew her to be special but this..."

"Indeed. She has her part to play in this great undertaking even as Master Knuckles does."

"Do you really have to call me that?" I asked plaintively. I didn't try objecting again, not now she'd told me she was to go with me – the 'spirit of the sword' she'd spoken of. Her appearance alone confirmed that.

"You are my Master," she shrugged. "And you must embark on your journey to the surface beneath the clouds. It is only there that you can fulfil the mission set before you by my creator, the Goddess."

"And by Link too," Gaepora added. "But this is no easy undertaking you ask. The world below is a forsaken place, and to reach it you must pierce the cloud barrier below."

"I don't think so," I put in. "I saw gaps in it along the way here. I just have to find the nearest one and go beneath."

"Your Loftwing would not fly beneath the clouds however, Master," Fi told me. "And you have no knowledge of the realm below. There is however a course of action you may take that will guide you."

Fi held forth her cloak – which had no arms beneath it, I could see clearly now – and with another flash of blue light, a stone tablet appeared in the air with a green stone set in place. It looked to be only a fragment of a whole, part of a map engraved into it. At an imperious gesture, it floated for me, the light fading only when I took it in my free hand.

"This tablet is the first of several that will illuminate a beacon in the skies, visible only to you Master Knuckles. It will guide you in your travels, should it be placed within the altar behind me. In order to reveal it, you must strike the crest of the Loftwing with the power residing in your blade, in the form of a Skyward Strike. Will it to depart your sword as you strike, and it will do as you command, Master."

Fi moved aside once again, simply awaiting my actions. Later she'd often disappear back into the sword, but for now she just watched impassively.

Since my sword was already charged when I'd taken it up and had continued to hold the charge, I just followed Fi's advice – I rarely considered it instruction, only advice – and made a downward strike, just as Pipit had taught me. Only this time with my will commanding that charge, it leapt off the sword, a bright curve of light that echoed my strike and impacted a hovering Loftwing crest beyond.

It was a useful little thing that. It's power's been diminished over the years, making it now the simple sword beam others have made use of, and instead of being charged from the sky as I did, it uses the current Hero's own strength to work instead – which is why it only works when uninjured.

The Loftwing crest had been hovering above a squat cylinder pillar, which now proved not to be so squat as it rumbled up out of the ground, shedding the accumulated dirt and dust of the ages to reveal a rough, rectangular impression in the side.

The piece Fi had given me was a corner piece, and not hard to orient correctly. Stylized trees were drawn, just as you'd see on any map, but few people draw them sideways. This was the lower right piece of a larger map – likely I'd come across similar stone tablets to finish the map and open up further areas, or maybe Fi had them and had been told to give them to me on a schedule of sorts. I'd find out in due course.

The little emerald set in the map lit up brightly – but from our perspective, nothing else happened.

"That's it?" I asked. "That's all I had to do?"

"Only you could do so, Master," Fi assured me. "And now it is done. As my Master, I will accompany you in the travels ahead, and will reside within your sword. Should you require my presence simply speak my name and I will hear. Should further information become available, I shall make it known to you. Now I await such a time," she concluded. Without waiting for a response, and to Gaepora's clear surprise, Fi turned back into a small flash of light that circled in the air gracefully, landing within the gemstone set into the Goddess Sword still in my hand.

"We will have to see about a new sheath for that blade," Gaepora said, though still awed. "Your sword has been serviceable during your novitiate, but as a full knight and a Hero besides... we will keep it safe for you, Knuckles – along with the Master Emerald, of course."

"I should hope so, if anything happens to it..."

"Or to you," he suggested.

"I'm a Hero, I'll be fine," I said dismissively.

"Knuckles, not even I know what you may encounter beneath the clouds. Fi is not wrong – we have lost much of the original prophecy to time, and as such it is all a complete mystery, even to me. But at least we know Zelda is alive – and not merely alive, but with her own part to play. Look out for her, Knuckles."

"Don't worry. I'll find her and see her back here safely just as soon as she's done whatever she has to do," I assured him. I don't do assurance all that well, but I'm not _completely_ inept at it. "Now it's kinda been a long night, and I could do with some sleep."

"We both could," Gaepora laughed. "I followed you when I saw you leave tonight. Normally I would have thought nothing of it, not given your wish to continue your duties, but something told me to come – and I am glad that I did. I'll speak with the tailor come morning – the uniform of a Knight of Skyloft will surely be more suitable in your travels, more so for you than any other Knight. Personally I have my doubts about the colour," he confided as we left. "But again I have one of those inexplicable feelings about it, and Zelda... it was she who persuaded me to relent. I wonder if there might be some significance to it that we are not yet aware..."

None of us had any idea just how significant it would come to be. Not just the mark of the Hero, but a lasting legacy – all started by me.

It's the sort of thing that can go to your head if you're not careful.


	8. Preparations

Gaepora came by my room personally come morning to bring the completed Knight's uniform, properly altered to take my own differences into account, along with a new sheath suitable for the Goddess Sword. It was actually longer than it needed to be, though Gaepora confided that one and only one of his ancient texts spoke cryptically of enhancing my sword and perhaps the sheath was designed to accommodate those.

In Skyloft I'd worn at least a few clothes, since it was the local custom – like other Heroes before they started, I respected the Hylian customs where it didn't inconvenience me. I'd more or less grown used to them by now, but the Knight's uniform was definitely a bit different, largely due to the addition of a chain mail shirt.

As every other Hero since has noticed, I had hard-wearing leather boots, well-made and designed to last in almost any environment. Unlike them, concealed within them were a pair of plates that would help protect my lower legs – something only I got, I gather. Some tanned leather, not as tough but still tough enough, provided some protection for the rest of my legs, covering up the plain leggings I'd worn before.

Naturally, I wore the signature green tunic, belted at the waist with a strap running over the shoulder for the sword. Clinking underneath was the heavy mail shirt, only just visible here and there, around the sleeves, neck and base of the tunic. Beneath that, a white under-tunic that was made to stop the links of the mail from harming me instead, and to provide additional padding against the blows I'd likely receive. The weight of it didn't bother me, it was more that I wasn't exactly accustomed to it yet.

The cap did not cover my dreadlocks – not all of them, at least. I'll admit to having my own share of second thoughts about it, but obviously since all other Heroes have had a cap, except for Manic who had Ezlo instead, I put up with it.

Then lastly of course there were the gauntlets. Like the boots, like their wearer, tough and hard. Again there were plates concealed within the arm guards for additional protection, and places for the spikes to go through – which, I noted with interest, were not simply holes, but perfectly fitting metal coverings that would definitely make a blow hurt now. If Link was trying to make me use a sword more, he was going the wrong way about it with these.

Gaepora gave me a hand adjusting the straps for the sheath so once again I wouldn't have any issues with drawing the sword, promising to continue to consult the texts of his library for anything that might aid me, and also reminding me I was always welcome to stop by at any time in my quest, particularly if I needed to know something. Fi's encyclopaedic knowledge, granted to her by Hylia, largely obscured that.

On my way out of the Academy, I found that last night had been a total secret – and so of course, everyone knew about it. One of the disadvantages of a closed society, even one as far-reaching as Skyloft.

Fledge stopped me first, remarking that I looked more like a knight that he thought he could hope to be – still constantly underestimating himself as usual. I was going to give him a few words of advice on that, but before I got the chance he surprised me.

"I made this," he told me, reaching into one pocket and unfolding a pair of connected leather pouches. "I... had a little help from that other green Knight," he added hesitantly.

"Link, you mean?"

"I think so. We were a little bit distracted. He made it so those pouches are a bit bigger on the inside than they are on the outside. We did a few little tests, and we found it does have limits to it, so you don't want to try to stuff too much in there just yet. He said to make sure you knew that as soon as he had an upgrade to make it even bigger, he'd make arrangements for you to find it."

"Just as long as he doesn't forget again. He needs a better memory. Thanks for this Fledge, it'll be useful. Don't let anyone bully you while I'm gone now, will you?"

"I don't think I'll have too much trouble," he smiled, though nervously – again like usual. "Groose hasn't come out of his room since yesterday, and Cawlin and Stritch aren't so bad without him around."

"Well, just watch out for him when he does. And if you do need a hand with him... don't hesitate to ask Pipit. I got the idea he'd like a reason to take his sword to Groose."

"You shouldn't say things like that," Fledge whispered rather loudly. "But... I'd like to see it happen."

It was a start, at least. He might still be timid, but maybe with time, and Pipit hopefully looking out for him, he'd finally find a backbone.

I left him to continue helping out around the Academy, satisfied he'd been able to see me off, passed Cawlin who simply scowled at me, and headed outside, almost bumping into Instructor Owlan – who was bearing a wooden shield.

"Knuckles!" he exclaimed. "What a coincidence – I was just coming looking for you. Headmaster Gaepora told us what happened last night, and seeing the blade for myself I can hardly disbelieve now. But before I forget – this is for you," he told me, handing over the shield. A simple, round, wooden shield with two straps on the back so I could just strap it to my arm and still use that hand.

"Hadn't exactly intended to use a shield," I admitted. "Pipit didn't cover anything with them, and it's not as if I've needed one before."

"Ah, but if you wield a sword, a shield is vital," Owlan said sententiously. "Do be aware that this is particularly weak to fire, of course. We ah... would have given you a metal shield, but we're unfortunately out of fuel for the forge. But perhaps you will find one on your adventures."

"Knowing Link, it wouldn't surprise me. Now I just gotta figure out where to put it-"

Fi appeared, emerging from the sword as a ball of light that coalesced into her form before us, causing Owlan to start back in surprise. Fi, as always, ignored such reactions.

"Master, your pouch is designed for holding such things," she informed me. "I have studied it for you, and believe the openings will simply expand to consume whatever you wish to store within, leaving the material undamaged."

I paused, taking this in – her peculiar way of talking often left me having to mentally translate to a more understandable form. "You're sure?" I asked eventually. Fi responded appropriately.

"I predict a high chance that nothing untoward will occur should you attempt this, Master."

It was easier than trying to find a way to carry it on my back too, at least. Not really expecting it to work, I gave it a try anyway and Owlan was again surprised, this time with me, as the pouch really did expand to fit around the shield, swallowing it up without distending the outside. It still looked like a small, square pouch, far smaller than the shield, it still had an opening that looked as if it was too small for it, but there inside was clearly the shield.

"Remarkable," Owlan murmured.

"Thank you," Link said, again perched nearby. This time on the edge of the Academy's roof just above. "You wouldn't believe how complicated it was to make it work, and don't ask me how it works. If I can only just barely understand it, I don't think you would."

"About time you showed up again," I told him, a little ungraciously I'll admit. "What did you forget this time?"

"I didn't _forget_ anything," he said, injured. "I just got told I need to be here. Mother has an annoying tendency to leave out the details, especially since she had me take up this post. I don't know _why_ I have to be here, I just have to be here. Oh, and you'll probably want to stop by the Bazaar," he added as an afterthought. "I knew there was something I had to tell you."

"You see what I mean about forgetting things?"

Link gave me a flat look.

"Ah... perhaps you'd better move on, Knuckles?" Owlan suggested mildly. "You do have a long journey ahead of you. And his advice can't hurt."

"His advice has a high probability of aiding you in a time of need," Fi noted. "It would be a suitable course of action to visit the Bazaar in preparation for your journey."

"Of course I'm going to go there, I just didn't need him to tell me that."

Link stuck his tongue out at me. Again Owlan reminded me I had better things to do than argue with him all day, and at last I moved on again. Fi, however, did not disappear, instead floating along beside me.

"I have further information regarding the results of the stone tablet, Master," she told me. "It appears a column of light, visible only to us, that locates the rift in the cloud barrier we are required to seek. It does not provide any illumination however, and as a result flying at night will result in a high probability of danger. I advise against flying in such conditions."

"I wasn't planning on it. I don't suppose you know what lies below the clouds in that region?"

"That information is not yet available, Master. It will be necessary to journey to our destination I order to reveal it. I strongly advise retrieving the sailcloth you were given by the spirit maiden in order to assure a safe landing."

"I'm confident in my own abilities Fi," I protested. "I might have this cap on, but I can still manage."

"Nevertheless, I project-"

"Wait, let me guess. High chances of risk if I don't take it? Or something along those lines?" Fi simply nodded, not appearing concerned about my interruption. "Alright," I sighed. "I'll go get it before I head to the bazaar."

Fi simple vanished back into the sword again.

Once I'd retrieved it I again made my way for the Bazaar, Skyloft's gaudily coloured general market. For such a small island, it was remarkably busy, but since I'd seen other floating islands out and about around the sky, I could only assume there was more of a population than I thought. Certainly the presence of Loftwings, and everyone's partnership with one, suggested that.

Luv and Bertie were a couple who ran the potion store, and naturally knowing what everyone else did, called me over, not only giving me an empty bottle for free, but topping it up with their red Heart potion – a restorative, just on the off chance that I'd need it.

They also ensured I knew what they offered between them. Luv was in charge of sales, selling the mentioned Heart potion, a pink Revitalising one that was weaker, but through some magic would also repair my shield if damaged, the interestingly rainbow Guardian potion – again, by magic, protecting me from harm, a bright blue Air potion, in case I needed better water breathing, and a green Stamina potion to restore my energy should I become winded.

Bertie ran an infusion store, which can best be described as a way of upgrading Luv's potions. All I had to do was bring him the right ingredients – almost exclusively some kind of bug or another – and it would enhance a potion I'd already bought.

Among the other store owners that hailed me were Gondo, tinkerer and mechanic on a level that might possibly even rival Tails' own. While he didn't have anything he could help me with right now, he did make sure I knew that if I ever needed anything repaired, or wanted to upgrade anything, or I needed to and lacked the tools, he was the man for the job – for a fee, naturally. My own meagre stock of rupees had been earned doing odd jobs here and there between lessons, and didn't really amount to enough for anything yet – that, of course, would change.

Peatrice didn't call me over, rather Gondo brought her to my attention. She looked bored, apparently having little to do, but explained her services all the same. Effectively, she ran the bank. Not just for rupees though – for items too. If I needed more space in the pouch, I could leave something with her, and retrieve it later. She added a small enchanted gem to the straps of the pouch that, she assured me, meant that if there wasn't enough room it would automatically (or perhaps automagically) be sent here to her, thus solving the problem of not having space.

Rupin was the last of the store owners to get my attention, manning the Gear store. While at the moment he was, he admitted, out of stock (for the same reason I only had a wood shield and not a metal one) he assured me he would soon be getting many useful items that would likely aid me in my adventure, and persistently badgered me until I promised to stop by whenever I returned to Skyloft, just in case he had something useful.

There was one last stop I made before I left Skyloft, and that was naturally the Master Emerald. I'm sure it was aware in some way of what I had to do, probably even more than I knew. It probably didn't need me to tell it – yes, I talk to it, don't look at me funny – what I was doing, but I intended to all the same.

There Fi surprised me, appearing not to talk to me, but to hold what appeared to be a conversation with it. It pulsed in response to her presence, then she said, "Yes, that is so." A pause again while she listened. "I predict a low probability of that at this time," she told it. It spoke one more time in whatever fashion. "Certainly. We will return in due course. It is time for us to leave now Master, but on our return this should be our first stop," she informed me, then without explanation for this bemusing incident, she vanished yet again.


	9. The Sealed Grounds

Out above the clouds away from Skyloft, the green beacon marking my first destination was clearly visible. It had been one of the rifts in the cloud barrier that I'd seen on the way in, though I couldn't tell which one until I got closer. From a distance however, it looked like only a small, swirling gap in the thick cover.

Up close however it was definitely not so small. As I'd been warned, my Loftwing refused to fly too close to the clouds, even in the vicinity of the rift itself, not even going low enough to skim the tops. It did however go close enough to carry me over the great rift and show it to be nearly as large as the entirety of Skyloft's main island.

Below was a thickly forested region with a number of clearings dotted about. From this height, picking out details was impossible, but I could at least attempt to scout out a suitable landing position. Once I had an idea I steered back toward the centre of the rift reassured my Loftwing, and quite deliberately fell back off it, turning in the air to go spread-eagled. He went off on his own, content to roam the skies until I needed him again.

It was actually a long flight down, and along the way I had time to attempt to steer myself toward my intended destination, and time to realize there was one think Link had neglected to tell me – just how in the world was I supposed to get back up again? I trusted the scatterbrained God, or at least his Mother, would have made preparations for that though.

Since I didn't have anyone watching besides Fi, and she was the one who'd suggested I could probably do better with the sailcloth than on my own, I resorted to that for a safe landing, opening it before it was actually necessary. I'd landed nearby the top of what appeared to be a long disused quarry – the kind of quarry with long, sloping ramps to get up and down. Nature had long since started to recolonize the area, grass and moss already in abundance over the exposed earth, time having worn away any rougher edges to give it a more natural look.

There was something right at the base, far below, that had black wisps of could have been smoke coming from it, but from all the way up here there was simply no way to tell what exactly was going on down there.

More locally to me were the remains of some stone pillars, among them a stone bird statue that had seen better days. Nature was busily at work trying to conceal a number of flagstones, even growing up the rusted, pitted iron railings that were there to keep people from falling into the pit, and were probably by now completely useless at such. Peaceful woods loomed on almost all sides, broken only by a larger structure in the distance – perhaps once a temple or hall of some kind, now again steadily succumbing to time and nature.

Fi appeared nearby while I looked over the area, my hand already part-way toward the hilt of my sword – an absent act Pipit had trained into me. "You never know what'll be waiting for you," he'd told me. "Whenever you arrive somewhere new, always be ready to defend yourself at a moment's notice."

I don't think I ever told him how useful that piece of advice was, actually. Someday I think I'll commandeer Silver and go tell him.

"Master Knuckles, we have arrived," Fi told me, rather pointlessly. I didn't bother to mention that however. "By my calculations, you are currently positioned in a location known as the Sealed Grounds. This location does not appear to be regularly frequented, and I predict high chances of hostile activity in this region. Proceed with caution, Master."

"Naturally," I sighed, then nodded toward the bird statue. "Isn't that a replica of the ones up on Skyloft?"

"It would appear to be so," Fi answered, giving it only a cursory glance. "However, it is of a different design, and is also not active at this time. Available information indicates a low probability that you can activate it with your current capabilities. However should you manage to do so, I believe it will act as our passage back to the sky."

Stubborn as I am, I wasn't about to leave it at that and struck it with a Skyward Strike. It had worked in the statue of the Goddess, why not on this? Aside from cutting away a vine that had been content to grow around the statue's neck, nothing happened. Fi, to her credit, did not comment.

With the railings barring progress down a far more pitted path one way, I started down the one that would ultimately lead to the peak of the quarry's only route in and out for those on foot. Fi came along floating behind rather than returning to the sword.

"Beware, Master," she warned as I approached a large flower in the ground. I slowed, approaching more warily, then a plant burst out of it, impossibly large for the tiny arrangement it had come from. A long leafy stalk terminated in a giant blue bud, but this was no mere flower – this bud had teeth and tongue, and while it had no apparent means of seeing me, it was slavering as it watched me closely.

"This appears to be a Deku Baba," Fi remarked in her clinical manner. "This violent plant is widespread in such wooded areas as this, and will attempt to bite anything that approaches. Though it is covered in a toughened husk, the inside of its mouth is soft. I have confirmed the existence of two varieties: Those that open their mouths vertically, and those that do so horizontally as we see here."

I'd paused to listen to her, waiting patiently, then asked, "Anything else?"

"I have no further information regarding Deku Babas at this time, Master Knuckles. You have also yet to defeat any, so I have insufficient data to analyse your battle performance with them."

"Yes would have done, Fi," I said, making a strike for the Deku Baba. While it could sense me, it could not sense my sword, so appeared to simply accept the strike through it. Once neatly sliced in half, the remains puffed out of existence in purple smoke. Since Fi didn't remark on this, neither did I.

There were several more Deku Babas awaiting me down the path, the next opening the bed vertically, then one of each beside each other. There I found giving them a good punch caused them to recoil back, snapping straight up stunned. Slicing the stem also defeated them instantly. Hardly much of a challenge, but I was just starting out.

* * *

"I noticed that too," Tails remarked. "You start of simple and work up from there."

"Naturally," Link said. "I may have been rather bad at my job back then, but even I knew I couldn't just lob you in at the deep end. Besides, you all started out just as bad at your jobs at first, even if you had someone to teach you," he went on. "You've got to start somewhere. Deku Babas were my first attempt at a kind of... training monster I suppose. Something to get you started."

"You never left any of them for me to play with," Manic noted.

"No, but I was experimenting a lot with you remember. You knew about me, and I had a bit of experience, so in effect I made use of that to see how things went. You got Octoroks instead. Silver had the Stalfos on Hyrule Field – not that he actually took his sword to them."

"Hey, even Mido knew shattering skeletons was the best way to go," Silver put in.

"Yeah, about that. Do you even know what happened because of that?"

"Yes," Scourge muttered darkly. "The little brat tried to beat me up when I went back there. Managed it too, once he caught me off guard."

"Oh, did I do that?" Silver asked innocently. "It's probably just as well I forgot to teach him how to use his mind like me, isn't it?" Link gave Silver a hard look. "What, it's not like I made good on it, right?"

"You," Link said firmly. "Are going to go back there and teach him as soon as Knuckles is done, or when we next take a long break. Because otherwise you'll have caused a paradox, and I know what you're like with those. Not to mention how loudly Fate yelled at me for letting it happen. I've half a mind to send you to Her so She can tell you what She thought of it personally."

Silver looked startled, and wasn't the only one. "Wait, you mean- I actually- I'm going to-"

"Yeah, that's how he caught me out, idiot," Scourge told them. "D'ya have any idea how humiliating it is to have a little kid throw you about like a rag-doll?"

"Isn't that worth it?" Silver suggested. Manic was clearly on his side, everyone else looked sympathetic one way or the other. Link just glared at him before telling Knuckles to carry on again.

* * *

All about the top of the pit area were yet more signs that people of some kind had once been here, remains of walls that had toppled back, marks in the rocky sides that were clearly not natural, and then ultimately the structure I'd seen when I landed. It looked like there had once been more to it, a worn, cracked dome rising up from above the door only to end in mid-air, the rest of it clearly broken away. The door was ornately framed in carved, if also worn, stone, a large indigo door with strangely vibrant golden etchings, all centred around an eye with a tear-drop. Moss and vines were less abundant here, perhaps because it was more sheltered here and got less light.

The door, despite best efforts, refused to budge in even the slightest degree, and the shape of the dome itself prevented any attempt I might have been able to make to scale it. I had no intentions of doing so though, as a three-fold sense told me the base of the pit was where I needed to be – one came from my own intuition and knack for finding things, one came from the warrior's sense Pipit had instilled in me, and the third came from the breeze that was coming from the pit, just strong enough to pick up leaves and blow them up, out and past me.

Rather than make the long trek down there, and believe me it would have been a ridiculously long trek at that, I stuck with a combination of my own gliding and the sailcloth again, since the additional weight I was carrying still threw me off balance a bit, quickly descending. Small holes in the ground dotted the area, but the breeze did not originate from them. Rather it came from what I now saw was a large stone spike stuck into the ground in the middle of a large and oddly compelling design, scorched into the rocks around it. Though nature had made its attempt to colonise this far down, even it seemed to keep a wary distance from both the design and the stone.

This close it was clear that the black wisps were originating from it. They didn't look or move like smoke, they were more like long strings of just black, reaching out from it, but held back by something, as if there were an unseen barrier it was trying to find a gap in.

"Master, the rocks here have a message ingrained in them that I believe is intended for you." Fi informed me. "It appears to be quite ancient."

"Ingrained in the rocks? I don't see-"

"It is not a carving, Master Knuckles. The very rocks themselves have had it stored within them awaiting your presence."

"I'll take your word for it. What's the message?"

"Great Monster Hero, descended from the sky, raise the sword of Her Grace to the sky, take aim at the evil aura radiating from this seal, and unleash the power of the Goddess."

"The whole Monster thing is really starting to get old now," I sighed. "That's seriously all this message says?"

"It is repeated constantly in all the rocks around us Master. There is no further message. I believe it refers to a Skyward Strike."

"I gathered," I muttered to myself, again raising up the Goddess Sword, charging it and unleashing the strike. Blue designs glowed over the surface of the stone, designs that had not been visible before. The black wisps were drawn back into the stone, seeming almost to lash out at the retreating barrier as they were sucked back in. And then, once they were no more, the holes dotted about the area started to hiss. Passing leaves told me they were producing air currents I could probably use to get back up quicker.

"I am detecting a significant change in the area affected by your Skyward Strike, Master," Fi informed me. "There is an aura present that was concealed before which correlates closely with your sailcloth. I surmise therefore it is the aura associated with Zelda, and should you require I can direct you to where the aura is strongest. At present this is at the remains of the Sealed Temple above us."

"Looks like the only way from here is up," I remarked. Fi took that moment to return to my sword, leaving me to ascend on my own.


	10. Another Guide

I'll spare you the tedious trek back up out of that pit, hastened as it was by the helpful air vents scattered about. Some of them were stronger than others, and I was inexperienced still. Yes, I could have glided and climbed the walls, but like I said – I was carrying additional weight I wasn't yet used to. _You_ put on a chain-mail shirt and try and do _your_ daily activities. Even if you can stand the weight, I'd like to see you manage even half as well.

In any case, Fi had directed me to the remains of the Sealed Temple nestled at the edge of the pit, and yet I still had no way to open the overgrown stone doors. I gave some thought to trying to deal with them on the way up, but it turned out to be unnecessary – as soon as I approached the eye designs lit up white, then gold, then faded through indigo to non-existence. Without them on the door, it opened easily.

I hate it when magic circumvents me like that.

Inside the Temple was much the same story as outside – pillars mossed over, plants growing between the cracks of the tiled stone floor, empty window frames streaming in light. One tree appeared to have grown up around one pillar and punched out through a window just to get a better source of light.

Resting cross-legged at the back, revealed by a single illuminating shaft that showed her and only her, was a very old looking woman in what, to me, seemed to be even more outlandish clothing than what I'd already seen, though much of it was concealed by a tall, tent-like red cloak. It rose up to a sharp point, and splayed out on the ground around her.

I made my way up one dais, then another two stacked on top, each one showing signs of having once been ornately carved before time had its way with them. I didn't bother to conceal my approach, but I tried not to appear threatening. Which isn't really easy when your fists have spikes on, you know.

She was oblivious to me, only the few slight movements telling me she was in fact still alive – that and a long lock of hair that had been plaited into a pendulum, swinging back and forth before her. She made no reaction at all to the sound of my entry, or the my footsteps until I'd hesitated before her – just what was I going to say? I'd hardly been expecting to see someone.

In a querulous old voice she solved that for me, speaking quietly to avoid an echo. "Ah... the traveller from the skies," she murmured. "I welcome you, child of fate."

"No, that's Link," I said without thinking.

She chuckled, then said, "Him too, for I note him skulking behind a pillar still."

"Will you stop that?" Link's voice echoed around the temple. "You're not supposed to tell him I'm here!"

"The young God has yet to come into his own birthright fully," she laughed again. "He will learn in time. But ignore him, traveller. You are the one of note here. Tell me, what is your name?"

"I'm Knuckles, and if you happen to see her, my blue friend is Fi. She kinda lives in my sword," I clarified, though given Link's presence I wondered if any of this was actually necessary. Couldn't he just have told her in advance?

"Very good. And I sense that she has already granted you control over the sacred power contained within your blade. The Skyward Strike alone is proof enough that you are fit to bear the Goddess Sword." She glanced over to one pillar with a sly smile, then back to me and continued. "I'm supposed to tell you I've been sat here for years waiting for you, but the truth is he left it to the last minute to make sure I'd be here."

"Impa!" Link said accusingly.

"Isn't it so, young God?"

"No! Well – look, I had a lot to do, alright? I can't be everywhere at once, you know! Can't you at least try to do it the right way?"

Impa shook her head, still smiling. "Tweaking his nose never gets old," she confided. "I have worked with him before he assumed this task. But we digress, as I am here to act as your guide."

"I thought Fi was supposed to do that?" I asked.

"She is, but even she is not aware of all that you must know. She may know that this place is the Sealed Temple, for example, but she may not be aware that this place was built by Her Grace an eternity ago."

"Eternity," Link snorted. "It's only a few centuries, and She didn't build it. The locals built it in Her honour."

"If you're going to keep interrupting, why don't you actually come out here and join us?" I called out into the rest of the temple.

"I'm not even supposed to be here, Knuckles," he protested. "But I gotta keep an eye on you somehow."

"Like I said," Impa said. "He has yet to come fully into his birthright. Soon enough he will learn to better command the divine power he has been granted. Now, if he will perhaps allow me to do what he requires me to..." she left it hanging, continuing only after Link remained silent for a time. I got the distinct impression Link and Impa were actually very old friends, and this was normal fare for them.

"I'm _also_ supposed to tell you that your arrival here was predestined at about the same time the Temple was dedicated. Technically that's true, but we won't go into that. The one you know as the Spirit Maiden also descended here some time ago, as it was doubtless her aura that led you here."

"She landed safely then?" I pressed. Gaepora would naturally want that assurance.

"Naturally," Link echoed.

"She descended in a shower of light that protected her from harm, the source of which I may not tell you – yet. It is the mark that the gears of Fate have begun to turn."

"Or they would if Mother didn't prefer to work with threads and strings instead," Link added. Again we paused, and this time there was a long echoing sigh and he finally came into view. "I hope you two realise She's going to have a go at me for this."

"Not at all, dear boy," Impa told him. "This is your task to handle. So long as you do so, how you do so is entirely in your hands. Fate simply watches, and acts only if you should need Her to."

Link paused, looking thoughtful, then realization dawned in his eyes and he vanished. "And about time too," Impa said. "Perhaps now we'll actually get somewhere."

"You and him go back a long time, I'm guessing?" I asked.

"Of course. But the details are not yours to know, Knuckles." Impa paused again, squinting into the light, then sighed. "I'm going to condense this down rather than speak cryptically the way he wanted, otherwise we'll be here all day."

"Thank the Gods – except possibly him," I said with a sly look of my own. Impa grinned toothily at that.

"It's like this. Zelda wasn't supposed to arrive on the surface the way she did. You and her have a task to play, you know that – but something is interfering. Link, naturally, knows what that is, and so do I, but I have to play along and pretend I don't because otherwise you'll do things out of sequence, and Link's having a hard enough time of this as it is."

"I'll try to keep that in mind. That still leaves me with the question of what I've gotta do though. Find Zelda, I'm guessing."

"Ah, but there you are wrong," Impa corrected. "Even with these forces at work, she still has her own path to take, just as you do. You must focus on moving forwards – on your own purpose, Hero. For now, these two coincide – she ventured into Faron Woods to discover more of her destiny, and now so must you. Take this map," she told me, reaching into the long cloak to retrieve it. "I have marked on it your location. This map has also been made to update itself as you venture to new lands, and even record the current location of Skyloft as it drifts through the sky above – though I'm not supposed to reveal I know about that just yet."

"I'll forget you ever mentioned it," I promised, glancing over it. There was a second door mapped in the Temple, just off to my right, that would lead to a raised path, leading in turn to Faron Woods. What amazed me about this simple roll of parchment was that I actually did get the impression of height, despite it being essentially a flat image.

"Remain cautious on your ways, Hero," Impa continued while I looked it over. "Many monsters have settled in all the lands beneath the clouds, and though many will mistake you for one, they will still attack you should they become aware of you. Be always vigilant... and before you leave, look at where Link had concealed himself, as he left something there for you."

"Or left it behind?"

"No, it's meant for you. He meant to leave it in a chest for you, except you arrived sooner than he expected and ran out of time."

"Yeah, that sounds like Link alright. Anything else, or should I get going now?"

"Be on your way, Knuckles. All your questions will be answered in due course, and we will of course meet again. I wish you well, great Hero," she concluded, yawned, then dozed off – or at least the wily old woman appeared to. I wouldn't put it past her to have used it as an excuse to help nudge me along.

Link's present was another bottle, though this one was empty. I wasn't quite sure what he thought I'd need it for, but he did know what was lying in wait for me, so once again I sorta had to put my faith in him.

That, I think, is one of the reasons he doesn't feel the need to seek followers like some other Gods – the faith of a Hero, even one just starting out, might be stronger than that of just another person, and when you get down to it, the Hero's faith is all he really needs. He only has to set things up for us to handle the task at hand, so he doesn't actually have to do any divine intervention as such – we _are_ the divine intervention. He just ends up owing favours to various other divinities because sometimes he has to step a little way out of that domain to handle something, like collecting us.

I don't expect him to confirm that, incidentally. I'm not entirely sure anyone should know how the Gods get their power.


	11. Into the Woods

**A/N: **Yes, some of Fi's more humorous remarks on various monster life are in fact going to be brought up - complete with Knuckles' own reactions. The Bokoblins are only the start.

Also as usual, a few things needed to be adapted a little bit to suit a Hero who isn't mute, or seems to communicate psychically (how else does everyone know what he wants?) so the parts involving Gorko are going to be just slightly different. As are a few others, naturally.

* * *

Outside the Temple's other door was a considerably better maintained path, broad flagstones leading to a shallow set of steps, all surrounded in more white stone. Maybe once it had been inside the Temple, maybe not – there weren't enough of the ruins left to tell, if there had even been any here.

At the peak of the steps the path broke off sharply, as if it had been only recently made – a little sign that Link had not yet perhaps learned to make things blend in properly. Past there it opened into a dusty clearing, trees looming around the edges, then to a ledge that overlooked a second one.

In this second clearing I spotted two new things – a large sort of sandy yellow humanoid that had a huge backpack on, and a collection of little red... things harassing him. They brandished an assortment of weapons – large cleavers, a few swords, one even held a large axe rather awkwardly.

There were six if them surrounding the protesting yellow creature, who was swinging his fists for them only to have them dart clear. It was obvious they didn't want to get smacked – no sensible creature would! - but it was equally obvious that he wasn't quick enough to actually hit them. He swung for some and they moved clear, then the others closed in and he had to swing for them – allowing the others to return. It was an impasse.

"Red Bokoblins," Fi noted, appearing nearby. "These monsters have plagued the lands since ancient times. Each plays a different role in the whole, and their weaponry varies depending on what they find lying around. They are hardly intelligent by any definition of the word, though curiously they seem to have a mysterious obsession with what they consider to be fashionable undergarments."

I'd listened to her without paying complete attention, more deciding on how to handle them, but at her last remark I did a double-take and looked at her.

"You said they _what_?"

"They have an obsession with fashionable undergarments," Fi repeated.

"You gotta be pulling my leg."

"Master, perhaps we should come to the aid of the Goron?" she suggested, neatly diverting my attention back to the more important matter at hand, and then to further prevent my line of inquiry, disappeared again. Some of Fi's remarks were _definitely_ on the unexpected side.

Since Bokoblins as a rule are hardly the most stimulating opponents I simply drew my sword and leapt down. Two of those on the far side of the now identified Goron did notice me, but their high-pitched cries seemed lost on their comrades. The nearest two were down with a broad strike that neatly knocked both of them over – and drew their attention to me.

The Goron quickly took advantage of my distraction to smash two Bokoblins heads together cartoon-style, knocking them out cold. I blocked an incoming clumsy attack by a cleaver and punched the Bokoblin behind it, who dropped the cleaver, stumbling around clutching his face and howling in pain. The Goron helpfully reached out to him and delivered a powerful blow on the top of its head, crushing its skull and making it vanish the way the Deku Babas had.

While he'd been dealing with that I got in a strike around the axe-wielding Bokoblin, making use of several tricks Pipit had taught me to neatly divest him of his weapon – by simply removing his arm from him. I had hoped to nick the axe, but like its bearer it vanished, defeated.

The rest of the Bokoblins clearly lost heart at how easily we were decimating them, but were quickly put out of their misery. Once it was over, as a show of friendship toward the Goron, I cleaned and sheathed my sword. Cleaning it might not have been necessary like it is for mundane blades, but it was a habit I'd got into. Pipit hadn't known I wasn't going to stick with ordinary swords for long.

"That was fun," I remarked afterwards, then extended a hand to the Goron. "I'm Knuckles. Thought I'd give you a hand."

The Goron regarded my proffered hand for a moment then roared with laughter.

"Give you a hand!" he exclaimed. "Good one!" After his humour had subsided somewhat he took my hand in a crushing grasp, shaking it. "You have just saved Gorko the archaeologist, friend... ah... what are you?"

"An Echidna," I answered, trying not to sound bothered. I never really got over having to explain that every time.

"Fascinating! Never before have I come across one like you – though I recall..." he thought for a moment. "Ah, it is probably nothing. But it seems interesting you should be here. This forest is normally peaceful, and yet today alone... first I bump into a human woman in a hurry, then those creatures, and now you..."

"Yeah, don't mind me," I told him. "I'm just passing through. Haven't been this way before, so I'm off to explore Faron Woods." A nagging feeling had told me it wasn't going to be wise to bruit about the truth too wildly just yet.

"An explorer!" Gorko exclaimed. "The next best thing after an archaeologist! Well, you'd better know a bit about what you're getting into, right? I can tell you the history of these woods – and it starts with this old bird statue right here," he told me, leading me to, yes, another statue. Heavily mossed over and different again to the last one I'd seen, but the similarities were there.

I humoured the Goron and listened as he talked about ancient texts that described an Isle of the Goddess – Skyloft, though his rendition of what things were like there was somewhat inaccurate. He did, however, confirm that these statues were something along the lines of landmarks, places that could be used to get up there or as safe landing points on the way down.

"Supposedly, this one is special," Gorko told me. "I've seen many around in my travels, but this one – this one is different. The legends say this one has the ability to activate all the other statues!"

"Now that's interesting," I murmured, then more to cover my actions I added, "I think I might be able to help. This sword here-" I told him, re-drawing it. "-is supposed to be magical. I've been working on learning more about it, seeing exactly how. I've only figured one thing out so far, but if what I've heard is right, it might just be the key to activating these statues."

"If you think you've got the key, give it a try!" he boomed, stepping clear.

Naturally, I used a Skyward Strike. Where on the previous one it had just cut away a bit of foliage, the light of this strike seemed absorbed by the statue. It glowed brightly, the moss vanishing completely as it turned to smoothly polished stone, accented in continuously glowing gold.

"Astonishing! I must investigate this further! Just what – how - "

"I don't know much about it," I said, expanding my little tale. "I just know how to do it. If that's activated though, maybe there's more you can learn from it?"

"I certainly hope so! But you... ah, you have your own errands to run! You leave this with me, friend Knuckles, and whenever we meet I'll bring you up to date!"

"Likewise – maybe I'll find out more to help you too. You know there's another bird statue near here?" I asked, with sudden inspiration. I needed to talk to Fi, and I didn't really want to call her out while Gorko was around.

"The one above the pit? Of course! I'll see what effect this has had on it at once. I wish you the best in your travels, friend Knuckles!" he boomed again, stomping off on his way. I started on my own way until he was out of sight, then pestered Fi.

"That statue and what he said. Was he right?"

"I believe he was, Master," she answered. "However we should see to our tasks on the surface before we return to the sky. We should not delay overmuch, as the sense of Zelda's presence grows fainter as time passes."

Again she simply cut off further discussion by disappearing.

Further down the path was a small cliff. The map told me this was the way I had to go, the cliff barring my path tried to suggest otherwise. A few boulders were scattered around here, but nothing I could use to make this any more convenient, so I simply climbed up and found it really wasn't going to be that much different to usual. Better to have found out in a safer situation like that though.

Fi showed up once again to inform me I'd crossed some unseen boundary and entered Faron Woods itself. The area didn't really seem different to the Sealed Grounds. Only a new bird statue and a giant tree towering over the area stood out. Fi went on however, giving me her overview of the region.

"There is a large diversity of flora in the region due to plentiful water supplies. Logically, this has also attracted numerous animal species to the region. Available information and probabilities indicate it is extremely likely that Zelda is within this region. I will remain alert for the aura of her passing and guide you as necessary."

"Monster activity?" I asked.

"I am unable to provide an overview of that at this time," Fi shrugged. "I will continue to inform you of discoveries as they are made," she told me – again disappearing.

Another Skyward Strike activated the Bird Statue here, which reacted similarly to the one I'd just seen. The Loftwing adorning them was always in the same position, except for the one with Gorko, which had had its wings extended – I assume to mark it as the first of them.

After consulting the map, and having Fi cause my sword to tug in the direction of Zelda's aura – thus allowing her to direct me without needing to be present – I headed down the only route I could for now, ignoring a pit by the simple expedient of using a conveniently hanging rope. I wonder who left that there?

* * *

"Yes, alright, I was terrible back then," Link said peevishly. "I should have used a vine or something. I wish you'd stop calling me out on my mistakes like that."

"Just showing up the differences," Knuckles replied. "And making sure I don't overlook the details. It wouldn't be right if I left something out, would it?"

Link scowled at him, almost about to say something, then caught himself. "Never mind," he told them. "Just... tell the story."

"Sure you want me to?" Knuckles asked. "I might say something else-"

"Just, tell it, Knuckles!"

* * *

Faron probably wouldn't be recognisable in the slightest to Tails, or anyone else for that matter. This was Faron Woods, and indeed Hyrule, before the people descended back to the surface to establish the lands we know today, and civilization was at a minimum. There were fewer clear-cut routes, more obstacles – like thickets blocking my path that I had to carve a route through.

Fi caused my sword to almost tug out of my grip once through there, pulling toward something ahead that was, like Gorko, being threatened by red Bokoblins. Only two of them this time, and the... thing being threatened appeared to be a little bush for now.

They heard me coming, since the undergrowth was fairly thick here, but that didn't really do them any good. One of them tripped over a root, futilely hacking at it in fury before remembering I was there – by which time I'd already cut down the first one simply by knocking its weapon aside and again punching it solidly. A second sword strike defeated it, while the remaining one charged – only to realize too late that its weapon was still lodged in the root. It looked from me to it in consternation, then it too was defeated, leaving me with the task of figuring out why they had been threatening what had appeared, to me, to be just another plant.


End file.
